Monday 2 November 2020

Alternate Best Actor 1994: Ge You in To Live

Ge You did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite winning Cannes, for portraying Xu Fugui in To Live.

To Live is a powerful film that follows a couple through years of upheaval in China during the 20th century. 

The films of Zhang Yimou, well his non Wuxia films, seem to seek to grant a real humanity to stories that could potentially be examine in a detached sort of reverence. This is appropriate than that this film is called simply to live, as that is what we see these people do in the husband Xu Fugui and his wife Jiazhen (Gong Li). The film reminded me a bit of Farewell My Concubine, also starring Gong Li, from the previous year and a bit of Masaki Kobayashi's masterful The Human Condition Trilogy. The notable difference with the former are those people were isolated slightly in the world of Chinese opera, and from the later in the protagonist who attempted to make a difference within a oppression regime, the protagonist here is less active. We in fact open up with Ge portraying Xu as basically a bit of a fool. This where he is spending all his money and losing it quite quickly in one bet after another. Ge's performance has a nice bit of foolish endearing quality in it. This as there is this dumb type of optimism as he tries to make every bet with eyes that suggest a man who genuinely thinks he will suddenly win any time now. Of course in fact he loses all his money and even his wife with his non stop betting, and Ge's reaction is less horror and more bafflement from a man who takes quite awhile to fully comprehend much of anything. 

Eventually he wins back Jiazhen's good graces finding himself a father. Ge's performance finds though the same foolishness though creates the same sense of purity really in his warmth with Jiazhen. It is a simple given that he loves his wife and the chemistry between them is sweet even as Gong suggests her sense intelligence that is accepting of her husband's foolish behavior. Now as the film proceeds we do see the two of them go through history, and what Ge's performance really emphasizes is the simplicity in which Xu goes through all this complex history. We find this as he has to go off to sort of fight in the war, though Xu mainly moves around artillery and reacts to the deaths of other. Ge's performance though is moving in portraying the simple reactions of Xu to these deaths. He's distraught however just with general sadness rather than any sort of change in his sort of spirit as a person. We see him as he continues to react with the sense of just a very average man, who takes in no great sense of the greater sense of the world, he's just part of it. Although with that one can run into a little bit of Louis's reviews bingo, and I would qualify To Live as a director's film. This as the depiction of Xu is largely offering this specific perspective not of the actor but the reactor of what is occurring around him. A small part of a larger tapestry who goes along with the world around him. 

We see this as he sort of side steps both the communist revolution and the cultural revolution. In both Ge is good in bringing a sincerity of a man just trying to go along by getting along. He makes his meager living, occasionally through shadow puppets, as a loving father and husband and just really that. Even in the moments of speaking to the party lines demanded by the communist party is with just  a carefree quality of obeying what society currently expects from him. Unfortunately this twice leads to tragic consequences. This first as his son dies in a tragic accident when he is sent to do dangerous work as required by the party. Ge is quite moving in showing the sheer devastation of the reaction. Although I'll say in this instance, and later instances Gong's reactions tend to be more dynamic of the more dynamic person. Whereas Ge as Xu shows the reactions still of the simple man, who even when reacting to the man who caused the death of his son, Ge's portrayal takes in this idea but even shows Xu reacting as basically as he can to it to still maintain some internal peace within himself. Tragedy strikes again, again caused by communist policies that leave children in charge of childbirth, and again we see the dueling reactions to the death of their other child. Ge is moving, but Gong keeps the stronger more potent reaction. Ge though again is truthful towards the role as he shows this wonderfully simple guilt about accidentally feeding an actual experienced doctor, brutalized by the cultural revolution, too much. Ge showing still the nature of the man just to take the personal route of least resistance even in expressing guilt. It isn't as a man who avoids it, rather he just experiences it almost with a childlike clarity. This is a good performance by Ge You, but I will admit other elements of the film left a greater impression on me.

80 comments:

Calvin Law said...

Damn I can just feel the pitchforks of all those who put their trust in me putting Ge so highly here lol.

I'd go for a very strong 4.5 myself, but I understand the rating and preferring Gong over him. Glad you dug the film overall though, and I'm very happy he won at Cannes (I think he was the first Asian actor ever to win it).

Also what are your thoughts on him in Let the Bullets Fly? I actually thought he was good in that though like I think you've said before the role had potential for more - and funnily enough the early scenes of his performance here reminded me a bit of his character in that.

Luke Higham said...

Ratings and thoughts on the rest of the cast.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Calvin: Not to worry, the only time I'll be wary of your predictions is when it's a film with Sol Kyung-gu in it.....

Just kidding. I actually saw To Live last week, and I'd go higher for Ge as well. Gong is a 5 for me in it.

Calvin Law said...

Tahmeed: That was the biggest L I’ve taken on here I think haha

Michael McCarthy said...

Calvin: That’s alright, I didn’t make predictions until I watched the film and he’s a proper 4.5 for me. Definitely not an Oasis-type situation.

Matt Mustin said...

We're not quite there yet, but 94 Supporting is kind of barren, isn't it?

Tim said...

Calvin: well, there's still another line-up left to lose

Luke Higham said...

Matt: It ain't that bad. I think Daniel Auteuil, Jean-Hugues Anglade and Jean-Louis Trintignant are getting 4.5s minimum. There's also Maximilian Schell in Little Odessa, Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Downey Jr. in Natural Born Killers, Anthony Hopkins in Legends Of The Fall, Bokeem Woodbine in Jason's Lyric, Delroy Lindo in Crooklyn, Michael Wincott in The Crow and Stephen Rea in Interview With The Vampire.

Louis: Could you watch Crooklyn before Supporting, I accidentally put down Clockers (1995) instead on the films to watch list.

Luke Higham said...

And guys, whatever the result, please leave the political talk/rants off this blog.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

It's definitely going to be a sleepless 24 hours no matter what.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Luke: Just let me have my breakdown if need be.

RatedRStar said...

Luke: A brand new PS5 and plenty of games will help me lol.

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: What are your thoughts on Scott Tiler in Once Upon a Time in America?

Louis Morgan said...

Calvin:

His performance is indeed similar in parts to the moment of portraying the sort of "gambling" of the character, though in this instance gambling with the strange power plays. Ge's an effective foil to Jiang in particular, this both as the bumbling sort of fool at first, and slowly as a some more endearing fool. Although I do think there is a world where I love the performance of that character, Ge's performance is still a good one as the comic fool there as well, though a comic fool with some sense of self-worth.

Luke:

Gong - 5(Great performance from her in achieving every state of the character's journey, though to me more powerfully in terms of each step of the journey. This in presenting the most honest frustration in her early scenes with her husband's gambling though what is so remarkable in her work in the sense of warmth in the distress. In that the frustration comes from a place of love even though she is leaving him at the time. This making the return just a natural coming together. She is so powerful then though in the moments of the highlight of the character as she clashes with the world more so than her husband. This in presenting her violent anger at the losses she suffers, that with the power of the grief but also the sense of discontent with the failure. So much of her work though is just so wonderfully nuanced in having these extreme moment but balancing them with such a poignant sense of life every step of the way.)

I've seen it, I'll say from what I've seen there's enough for a supporting lineup.

Matt:

Tiler's kind of bad. I mean there's moments where he has to portray any sort of emotion where he's outright terrible. He's okayish in the moments of just being kind of a general street tough, but even there he doesn't have a lot of presence. The moments where he's lusting after the young prostitute or failing to perform, he's kind of school play bad where everything is labored and phony. Frankly I think the whole kid section suffers from bad acting, though Rusty Jacobs is good, despite having some of the best moments in terms of Leone's overall direction. My guess is he wasn't much of a kid's director.

Anonymous said...

Louis: What is your ranking of the Cannes Best Actor winners you've seen so far?

Calvin Law said...

Anonymous: That's a fun challenge, I'll take a crack too.

Michael Redgrave, The Browning Version (5)
Bob Hoskins, Mona Lisa
Mads Mikkelsen, The Hunt
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Basterds
William Hurt, Kiss of the Spider Woman
Ray Milland, The Lost Weekend
David Thewlis, Naked
Terrence Stamp, The Collector
Richard Harris, This Sporting Life
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
John Turturro, Barton Fink
Spencer Tracey, Bad Day at Black Rock
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Murray Melvin, A Taste of Honey
Shahab Hosseini, The Salesman
Joaquin Phoenix, You Were Never Really There
Per Oscarsson, Hunger
Ian Holm, Chariots of Fire
Orson Welles, Compulsion
James Spader, Sex, Lies and Videotape (4.5)
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Ralph Richardson, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Jack Nicholson, The Last Detail
Tommy Lee Jones, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Paul Newman, The Long Hot Summer
Tony Leung Chiu Wai, In the Mood for Love
Samuel L. Jackson, Jungle Fever
Jack Lemmon, Missing
Timothy Spall, Mr Turner
Javier Bardem, Beautiful
Forest Whitaker, Bird
Jon Voight, Coming Home
Jack Thompson, Breaker Morant
Jason Robards, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Dean Stockwell, Compulsion
Ge You, To Live
Marcello Fonte, Dogtooth
Jean Louis-Trintignant, Z
Jonathan Pryce, Carrington
Dean Stockwell, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Bradford Dillman, Compulsion (4)
Gerard Depardieu, Cyrano de Bergerac
Benoit Magimel, The Piano Teacher
Jack Lemmon, The China Syndrome
Tim Robbins, The Player (3.5)
Marlon Brando, Viva Zapata!

Mitchell Murray said...

Anonymous: This really shows how much I need to get caught up on, because out of the 2010's alone, I've seen merely 4 winners: Bardem, Dujardin, Dern and Banderas. Of those gentlemen, I suppose my favourite would be Dern, with Dujardin a close second.

Mitchell Murray said...

On another note, has anyone else here watched "Mob Psycho 100", and if so, what would be your thoughts on it? I'll admit, out of all the anime series I've been binging lately, it's an easy favourite of mine. Simply from its first season, I wouldn't hesitate to call it a great show.

Emi Grant said...

Mitchell: Same here. Really need to take some time in the future to really go back with some older films. Out of those I've watched though...

1. Mikkelsen (The Hunt) - 5
2. Turturro (Barton Fink)
3. Hurt (Kiss of The Spider Woman)
4. Waltz (Basterds)
5. Phoenix (You Were Never Really Here)
6. Banderas (Pain and Glory) - 4.5
7. Dern (Nebraska)
8. Dujardin (The Artist)
9. Fonte (Dogman)
10. Bardem (Biutiful) - 3.5/4

Louis Morgan said...

William Hurt - Kiss of the Spider Woman
Ray Milland - The Lost Weekend
Michael Redgrave - The Browning Version
Mads Mikkelsen - The Hunt
Bob Hoskins - Mona Lisa
Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
John Turturro - Barton Fink
Jean DuJardin - The Artist
Terence Stamp - The Collector
Spencer Tracy - Bad Day At Black Rock
Richard Harris - This Sporting Life
David Thewlis - Naked
Bruce Dern - Nebraska
Ian Holm - Chariots of Fire
Jack Nicholson - The Last Detail
Per Oscarsson - Hunger
Shahab Hosseini - The Salesman
Orson Welles - Compulsion
Jon Voight - Coming Home
Benicio del Toro - Che
Timothy Spall - Mr. Turner
Tommy Lee Jones - The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Paul Newman - The Long Hot Summer
Jack Thompson - Breaker Morant
Samuel L. Jackson - Jungle Fever
Antonio Banderas - Pain and Glory
Dean Stockwell Compulsion
James Spader - Sex, Lies and Videotape
Olivier Gourmet - The Son
Marcello Fonte - Dogman
Jonathan Pryce - Carrington
Marlon Brando - Viva Zapata
Jean-Louis Trintignant - Z
Forest Whitaker - Bird
Daniel Auteuil - The Eighth Day
Pascal Duquenne - The Eighth Day
Ge You - To Live
Jack Lemmon - Missing
Bradford Dillman - Compulsion
Tony Leung - In the Mood For Love
Anthony Perkins - Goodbye, Again
Marcello Mastroianni - Dark Eyes
Edward G. Robinson - House of Strangers
Francisco Rabal - Los Santos Innocentes
Tim Robbins - The Player
Alfredo Landa - Los Santos Innocentes
Benoit Magimel The Piano Teacher
Gerard Depardieu - Cyrano De Bergerac
Javier Bardem - Biutiful

Anonymous said...

Louis: How do you think Sellers would have done as Major Kong? He was meant to play the role, but he broke his ankle, and so Pickens was cast. Terry Southern's biographer has also said that Kubrick and Southern had written Kong with John Wayne in mind.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

This is killing me emotionally.

Calvin Law said...

Same.

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: Since Auteuil was requested, Is he Lead or Supporting.

Anonymous said...

Louis, could you check out Wong Kar-Wai's Ashes Of Time.

Tim said...

An off-topic question for everyone, and i know most people's minds are probably on something else right now; it's just that i was thinking about Shakespeare In Love today, a movie which i myself enjoy a lot.

The Film of course is often maligned and is on pretty much every list of "Worst Best Picture Winners ever" you can find on the internet. It's just that i cannot really agree with that, as i like that movie a lot.

My Best Picture winner for that year is The Truman Show, out of the nominees The Thin Red Line, and Saving Private Ryan is also the more impressive filmmaking achievement, but you will actually never see me complaining about SIL winning. In a way it lost that night due to that (again, in my view) really unfair criticism.

So my question is, what are some unpopular Academy dicisions that you can kind of get behind?

Emi Grant said...

Tim: Not sure how unpopular this is, but I always dug Argo winning Best Picture

Mitchell Murray said...

Tim: Well this should go without saying, but I think a lot of the backlash against "Shakespeare in Love" comes from it being so heavily associated with the Weinstein company. Regardless of my own thoughts on the film, I am just personally disgusted about the stories surrounding Harvey's behaviour with Paltrow, and his bullying campaign tactics in general. It's become extremely difficult - if not impossible - to separate his company's films from his name, and in the case of "Shakespeare in Love", it's compounded further by the overall greater praise of its competition.

As for your question....Marisa Tomei winning for "My Cousin Vinny" immediately springs to mind. I find her performance absolutely delightful, and such a breath of fresh air when compared to all the dramatic turns that are usually awarded. In fact, I find it weird how Kevin Kline never got any heat after winning for "A Fish Called Wanda", despite giving a similarly broad comic turn like Tomei.

Bryan L. said...

Tim:

All of Bravehearts’ Oscar wins.

I also like Charlton Hestons’ for Ben-Hur. Is it great acting? Not quite. But did he get me invested in his journey alongside having the right presence for the film? I’d say yes.

Mitchell Murray said...

Also, if we're going by acting wins, I was always a supporter of Russell Crowe's win for "Gladiator". Looking back on my old performance reviews, I've grown to appreciate his work as that of a classic movie star turn, and with the exception of Hanks, he easily outshines the rest of the nominees.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Your Top Ten synthesizer-based film compositions?

Tim said...

I#ve also never really minded Tommy lee Jones' win. He played the role properly with just the right presence, was very entertaining all throughout and "I don't care" actually gave him a surprising other dimension with just one line.
There have definitely been worse winners

Mitchell Murray said...

Tim: I was also thinking about Jones' win, strangely. Sure, I like Fiennes and Malkovich more (Haven't seen DiCaprio or Postlethwaite), but it's still a fine performance.

Side Note; I revisited the first "Men in Black" recently, and was surprised at just how funny Jones was. He's a rock solid 4 in my books, and I might even think to request him if I get another prediction right.

Anonymous said...

I've noticed there seems to be a bias against female comedic performances in general; go on any lists and it will always be Paltrow, Tomei, Zellweger in Cold Mountain, Dench, J Lawrence, Emma Stone, Helen Hunt, Cher and I even saw Dianne Wiest once. Personally I only like a couple of these (Cher and Stone), but it does say something about what people think of female acting.

Matt Mustin said...

Mitchell: Jones is the best part of the first Men in Black.
As for "unpopular" wins that I like, or at least don't mind:

-Argo Best Picture
-Birdmam best picture
-All of The Artist's wins
-Braveheart's technical wins

Mitchell Murray said...

Matt: Was "Birdman" winning best picture so "unpopular"? I don't remember any big uproar surrounding it, and if there was, what was the film people thought should've won?

Matt Mustin said...

Mitchell: I'm going by twitter where it was firmly Birdman vs. Boyhood

Mitchell Murray said...

Matt: Ohh....I understand that now. Honestly, the only nomination I think "Boyhood" really deserved and/or should've won for was supporting actor. Hawke just had the misfortune of being the such a stacked acting field.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Tim: Braveheart's wins (MacFayden should have been nominated and won for Supporting Actor too). It was probably my favorite Best Picture winner of the last 25 odd years until Parasite pulled off the unthikable.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Yes.

Bryan:

1. Chariots of Fire
2. Blade Runner
3. The Thing
4. Halloween
5. The Social Network
6. Apocalypse Now
7. Only God Forgives
8. The Terminator
9. Good Time
10. Videodrome

Tim:

I mean there are so many.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on this clip https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H-k5CAlY7YM

Calvin Law said...

The reaction towards Marisa Tomei winning Best Supporting Actress back in the day was fucking weird, like come on can't you guys just accept that the Academy loved a fully comedic performance? Especially one that great. But yeah the reaction to certain Oscar wins are odd, like the reaction to The Lives of Others winning over Pan's Labyrinth, and people shitting on Art Carney winning an Oscar when not having seen the film (I've gotten into way too many arguments over that).

Luke: I consider Autueil supporting.

Tim said...

Mitchell: if you are going to watch What's Eating Gilbert Grape anytime soon, i must say i pretty much agree with Louis' review, but look out for Darlene Cates, i just loved her

Tim said...

Louis: your thoughts on the screenplay of The King's Speech?

Anonymous said...

Calvin: I guess it was because no one really saw it coming. I mean, it’s not like Marcia Gay Harden or James Coburn some years later, who at least had won the NYFCC and got a SAG nom, respectively; she literally had no previous nom other than... the Chicago Film Critics, which she didn’t even win. Plowright had the Golden Globe, Richardson gad the BAFTA and NYFCC and Davis had most of the critics awards (idk about Redgrave though, but it seems she was the favorite to win according to people). In the end of the day, it was the right move though, IMO.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Well I understand why all of these were cut as they are just kind of fill in moments that were logical to cut, even the wound isn't important.

Calvin:

What's also vexing about some of the Tomei naysayers, it is often from the same people who cry "The academy never rewards comedies!".

Tim:

The screenplay by David Seidler is wonderful, despite Tom Hooper's best efforts to literally putting it askew every chance he gets. This more than anything just by spending time and developing both men, particularly the friendship. It has really the right kind of grip I think in granting the forward momentum within the idea of becoming the leader wrapped within overcoming the stammer, which it does so rather remarkably. What carries that though is the development of the central relationship and how we see it from the eyes of both men, from the persistent Lionel who becomes more so than just a speech instructor, with this progression being so naturally realized. I particularly love the scene of having Lionel not being a doctor resolved not through some contrived fight and digression from each other, instead David Seidler has them honestly just talk about it to in fact make the relationship seem all the stronger. Now the little side strands, which there are more for George than Lionel, are all very fine in realizing what compels each man, while also kind of granting a sense of what both the royal family is but also what the expectation is. What it always comes back to, well realized in the enclosed duo for the final speech. It just a witty and charming piece, and great example of how to do a period piece. Again it's a shame Hooper directed it, as the film is splendid as written.

Matthew Montada said...

Louis: you probably already answered this at some point, but your top 10 Toshiro Mifune performances?

PS: been watching his filmography (as well as Kurosawa’s) the past couple of days. Really like their work so far.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your thoughts on this:

https://theplaylist.net/brideshead-revisited-andrew-garfield-luca-guadagnino-20201106/

John Smith said...

Louis, would you consider cannes film festival a better award shows based on the jury system they use and the quality of films that are shown and given awards to?

John Smith said...

Compared to the academy awards

Louis Morgan said...

Matthew:

1. Rashomon
2. Yojimbo
3. High and Low
4. Seven Samurai
5. Stray Dog
6. Throne of Blood
7. Red Beard
8. Samurai Rebellion
9. The Quiet Duel
10. Drunken Angel

Luke:

I mean given I haven't seen any "Bridesheads", I can't really comment much. I mean I've yet to embrace a Guadagnino film, so that participation doesn't exactly excite me either. Promising cast though.

John Smith:

No. Although the "every body votes" system has flaws, so does the jury system which is more likely to get political (broad definition of the term) or fall into film festival think (that favors over the top reactions both in terms of overly positive or overly negative). It has its own flaws and is in no way a guarantee of a greater quality. It is essentially the elite international output, whereas the Academy tends to be the elite American/British output. It doesn't make one better or worse, it depends on the given day and the given decision. Both can make questionable decisions (Elephant Palm D'Or for example), just as both can make stellar decisions (Parasite for both).

Anonymous said...

Louis: You forgot to answer my question regarding how Sellers would have fared as Major Kong.

Tim said...

thoughts on the direction of 127 Hours and chance for an upgrabe for Franco?

Tim said...

'upgrade


also, Johnny Depp denied playing Grindelwald again. Thoughts?

Luke Higham said...

Tim: They should fire Amber Heard as well,

Robert MacFarlane said...

Luke: Oh please.

Luke Higham said...

Robert: I'm sorry but I'm tired of the double standards and they are as bad as each other. And by the way, whatever happened to I disagree with you but you're free to your opinion.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

I mean I never saw Sellers really fail at a role in a good film, so I find it hard to believe he truly wouldn't have failed to pull it off. Slim Pickens though was ideally cast though anyways.

Tim:

I find 127 Hours's direction, as is the case with most of Boyle's film, quite obnoxious most of the time honestly. This just in the everything and the kitchen sink to "enliven" the film. Of course another director may have made this very approach work, but for me here, the approach I find more headache inducing then invigorating as the constant cutting does little to really grant the sense of isolation within the experience, making the flights of fancy far less meaningful than they might've been otherwise. It isn't all terrible. There is a general competency beneath all the "Flash" but the flash does overwhelm much of the work for me.

No chance.

I mean Depp wasn't the problem with The Crimes of Grindelwald (Rowling's abysmal script was), I felt he ended up acquitting himself well enough within that mess of the film, so I have no great enthusiasm there for a replacement necessarily. Although I could get into a whole thing regarding the other matter, I'd rather not.

Tim said...

aw man, i adore that performance. But then again, It's also one of my favorite films, so there's that

Tim said...

i think his directing style was a very good representation of ralston slowly groing insane during his time in the gorge

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Could I have your thoughts on these two anime ending sequences from Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood?
(they're 90 seconds each, just like the opening sequences)
Ending 2: https://youtu.be/Vi9zgj8foKo
Ending 4: https://youtu.be/yxkyElx0pXI

Matt Mustin said...

Question for everyone: How comfortable are we calling Clarke Peters Supporting for Da 5 Bloods? Because I think a strong case could be made for him being co-lead.

Mitchell Murray said...

Matt: I'll confess, I still have yet to see "Da 5 Bloods", mostly because I've been focusing more on series than films recently.

But on that note, has anyone here seen "Hunter X Hunter"? I'm half way through the third season, and I honestly find it more enjoyable and interesting than the similar anime shows I've watched (IE the first season of "Bleach" and the first two seasons of "Naruto").

Calvin Law said...

Matt: I would say there’s a fair argument to be made on that front, wouldn’t be surprised if he and Lindo had similar screentime when you come down to it. Although I do think Lindo gets substantially more focus.

Calvin Law said...

On the subject of Da 5 Bloods I guess...thank fuck

Mitchell Murray said...

Calvin: This is in reference to Spike Lee's oscar speech, I take it?

Well, I wouldn't say we're in the clear just yet, but this is about the one thing 2020 hasn't managed too muck up. To all my American neighbours, I wish you nothing but the best going forward.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Calvin: Thank fuck indeed.

Anonymous said...

Is there an early favorite supporting player from Mank's reviews or is it gonna be a Chicago 7 situation?

Luke Higham said...

I admit, I'm a centrist leaning right but I wish you all good fortune for the next 4 years.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: It seems to be another Chicago 7 situation but we shall see. Oldman's getting some of his best notices though.

RatedRStar said...

I don't really know anything about politics to be honest, I have always been like, equal rights for all, especially since I am a huge LGBTQIA supporter and that's about all I know.

Anonymous said...

When it comes to politicians, I don't trust them to be representative of the people, like Robert Mitchum said. It's one of my favorite parts of that interview Mitchum did with Cavett. I hate politicians equally, either left, center or right.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I do agree with you there to be honest.

Anonymous said...

Luke, as Richard Harris in Cromwell said:
'An immovable parliament is more obnoxious than an immovable king'.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Thank Christ it’s over. Good fucking riddance, you bloated orange dickwaffle. Now I can drink in celebration instead of a coping mechanism.

RatedRStar said...

Louis: Anddd back to movies lol, Louis, you reckon Another Round (Druk) is a contender for international film? I am really excited to see Thomas Vinterberg, Mads Mikkelsen and Thomas Bo Larsen reunite, early word seems to be good as well.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: I pray hope we'll see it before the deadline.

RatedRStar said...

Louis: Also your thoughts on the trailer for it?

Louis Morgan said...

Tahmeed:

Well for the first, rather liked the song, though can't take too much from the images, thought the landscapes were particularly rather beautifully done.

Fr the second, quite a different approach I feel, far less seemingly contemplative more sort of kinetic. I'd say I liked it less, though again did like the backgrounds quite a bit, but despite the kinetic opening, fund the song here more forgettable, and didn't get a lot from the still images that made up quite a bit of it.

Matt:

I think he's pretty strongly co-lead, given he has his own perspective and is in over 40% of the film, not that much less than Lindo. He's the Tim Holt role.

RatedRStar:

Well rather liked the feel of the trailer, and am always game for Mikkelsen in a leading role. Functional alcoholism is always a subject potential, even if not always done well, but this definitely has me intrigued.

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: Your ratings for Malcolm McDowell in O Lucky Man, Albert Finney in The Browning Version and the cast of Pather Panchali.