Best Scene: Final dance
3. John Cusack in High Fidelity - Cusack gives kind of the final sendoff of his romantic leading side, in a wholly winning turn.
Best Scene: A bit of maturity.
2. Sol
Kyung-gu in Peppermint Candy - Although the impact of his work is
limited by the film's repetitive nature, Sol makes a strong impact of a
man slowly losing himself in reverse.
Best Scene: Opening
1. Lee Byung-hun in Joint Security Area - Although a powerful volcanic turn as per usual from Lee, but also a surprisingly heartwarming one as well.
Best Scene: Recounting the truth.
Next: 2000 Supporting
49 comments:
ahh yes, Hanks at a 5 now. Good stuff.
your thoughts on the Screenplay of You Can Count On Me?
MacLachlan and Schreiber in Hamlet
Phoenix in The Yards
Warburton in Emperor’s New Groove
Michael Douglas in Traffic reeval
Lucas Black in All the Pretty Horses
Joaquin Phoenix in The Yards
Paddy Considine in A Room For Romeo Brass
Emilio Echevarria in Amores Perros
Kyle MacLachlan in Hamlet
Stephen Tobolowsky in Memento
Jeremy Irons in Dungeons and Dragons
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the rest of the leading performances.
Your Female Lead and Supporting top 20s with ratings.
Oh and you listed The Royal Tenenvaums by mistake for best Ensemble.
The requests plus McDowell, Ogata, Song and Connery.
Louis: Say your TOP 7 of 2000 in the categories:
- SCORE
- POSTER
- EDITING
- SCREENPLAYS (original and adapted)
- CAST
- CHARACTER
- BLOCKBUSTER
^^^all that mess plus Jeffrey Wright in Shaft
Joaquin Phoenix in The Yards
Paddy Considine in A Room For Romeo Brass
Emilio Echevarria in Amores Perros
Issey Ogata in Yi Yi
Malcolm McDowell - Gangster No. 1
Louis: And have you completely settled on Crowe's rating for Gladiator.
*listed The Royal Tenenbaums
And with Supporting, I expect everyone to put Irons last in one of the 2 lineups however he really must not be underestimated because he could genuinely pull off a Raul Julia here.
*Looks for a super cut of Jeremy Irons in Dungeons & Dragons online because I don’t want to watch the whole thing*
Also, pleasantly surprised about the Alcazar review. Glad to see the film on the Top Ten as well.
Louis: Your top 5 for Production Design and Cinematography?
Luke:
Farrell - 4(One of his better performances, in fact oddly his early work is consistently better with Schumacher. Farrell though delivers the right kind of ID for his performance as the man who won't be part of the system yet can't quite separate himself entirely from it either. His performance has a fascinating kind of separation to it, while also cutting in moments that are quite remarkable like his remark to Michael Shannon's character. It's a good performance as he shows a man with a kind of self awareness that is both his virtue and his downfall in a way.)
Song - 4(Definitely Kim Jee-woon's least Kim Jee-woonish movie, though it is interesting that the Korean trio all made movies in 2000, though Park's is easily the best. This is a fun won though on its own. A big reason why is Song's performance that is just a lot of fun as this average guy fed up with the tied up banking world. He brings the right kind of exasperation there, but then awkwardness to the wrestling world. Eventually though finding the excitement and entertainment and really self-fulfillment as he goes on his wacky journey. Wonderful work.)
Macy - 4(Very gimmicky setup and film all over the place. Macy's performance though is good in creating this eerie state of clam in a man who is both suffering on the inside yet also seemingly passive to his existence. He finds the right balance and grants a genuine humanity to a film that is a bit wonky on its own to say the least.)
Pilmark - 3.5(A decent enough performance on its own, though I kind of would've preferred if Mikkelsen had been the lead. Pilmark though is good in finding the right balance between a direct kind of roughness and a more curious state of the man seeing the chance for some kind of betterment.)
Lee - 3.5(Although I'll say he really has it rough, as it is hard to like a guy who mistreats dogs for any reason messing with the sympathies of the film. Still I think overall he gives a fine off-beat energy to the role in expressing this kind of strange anxiety the character suffers from. It is imperfect though because he can't quite overcome that difficult starting point.)
Epps - 3.5(A nice charming turn more than anything. I think he struggles a little more in the more melodramatic moments, but he gives a nice earnest turn overall.)
Clooney & Wahlberg - 3.5(Although the film suffers from flimsy characterizations I have to give both actors credit for giving rock solid leading turns here, that embody the tension of the disaster throughout.)
Brown - 3.5(Definitely not the most trained actor, but I think his earnest work totally works. This in particularly creating a nice chemistry with Connery, where his low key works plays quite well off of Connery's more overt presence.)
Ruffalo - 3(This is kind of a in-between performance for me in that you get to see both his good qualities and bad qualities here. There are moments where his specific energy works for the part, others less so. It's a mixed bag, but I did mostly liked what he did.)
Davis - 2.5(Not bad but completely overshadowed by everyone else in the film, to the point I kept forgetting he was in it.)
Sulfaro - 2.5(The film itself really doesn't work, despite some impressive technical elements, Sulfaro's work is a whole lot of face of horny wonderment, not bad but didn't carry the film for me.)
Ribisi - 2(Mostly found him just fine, but thought he was actively bad in his big emotional moments. And from this alone I can see why he never broke out into the leading man, as he just doesn't quite carry it here.)
Lead:
1. Björk - Dancer in the Dark - 5
2. Gillian Anderson - House of Mirth - 5
3. Bae Doona - Barking Dogs Never Bite - 4.5
4. Michelle Yeoh - Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
5. Maggie Cheung - In The Mood For Love
6. Ellen Burstyn - Requiem for a Dream - 4.5
7. Ziyi Zhang - Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
8. Cate Blanchett - The Gift - 4.5
9. Marie-Josee Croze - Maelstrom
10. Laura Linney - You Can Count On Me - 4.5
11. Lee Young-ae - Joint Security Area
12. Sanaa Lathan - Love & Basketball - 4
13. Julia Sawalha - Chicken Run
14. Monica Belluci - Malena - 3.5
15. Joan Allen - The Contender
16. Juliette Binoche - Chocolat
17. Aki Maeda - Battle Royale
Supporting:
1. Catherine Deneuve - Dancer in the Dark - 5
2. Harriet Sansom Harris - Memento
3. Marcia Gay Harden - Pollock
4. Kou Shibasaki - Battle Royale
5. Elaine Jin - Yi Yi - 4
6. Eartha Kitt - The Emperor's New Groove - 4
7. Luminita Gheorghiu - Code Unknown
8. Iben Hjejle - High Fidelity
9. Su-Yun Ko - Yi Yi - 4
10. Jang Min-young - Foul King - 4
11. Carrie-Anne Moss - Memento
12. Tracy Ullman - Panic - 4
13. Juliette Binoche - Code Unknown
14. Holly Hunter - O Brother Where Art Thou
15. Saffron Burrows - Gangster No. 1
16. Miranda Richardson - Chicken Run
17. Jennifer Connolly - Requiem for a Dream - 3.5
18. Catherine McCormack - Shadow of the Vampire
19. Alfre Woodard - Love & Basketball
20. Leticia Huijara - Herod's Law
Come on Luke, it was Royal Tenenbaums for like a minute, if the error is up for say an hour or more then let me know.
Brazinterma:
Score:
6. Malena
7. Battle Royale
Poster:
1. In the Mood For Love
2. Battle Royale
3. A Perfect Storm
4. Yi Yi
5. American Psycho
6. Memento
7. The Grinch (Ornament)
Editing:
1. Memento
2. Joint Security Area
3. Gladiator
4. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
5. In the Mood for Love
6. Battle Royale
7. O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Original Screenplay:
1. In the Mood for Love
2. Yi Yi
3. Herod's Law
4. Dancer in the Dark
5. Foul King
6. George Washington
7. Billy Elliot
Adapted Screenplay:
1. Memento
2. Joint Security Area
3. O Brother, Where Art Thou?
4. High Fidelity
5. Wonder Boys
6. Battle Royale
7. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Ensemble:
1. Joint Security Area
2. Memento
3. Dancer in the Dark
4. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
5. Yi Yi
6. O Brother Where Art Though?
7. Gangster No. 1
Character:
1. Maximus
2. WILSON!
3. Wolverine
4. The Grinch
5. Erin Brockovich
6. Commodus
7. Mr. Glass
Blockbuster (Over 75 mil?):
1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
2. Gladiator
3. Cast Away
4. Chicken Run
5. Remember the Titans
6. Unbreakable
7. The Patriot
Razor:
Production Design:
1. In the Mood For Love
2. O Brother Where Art Thou?
3. Gladiator
4. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
5. The Patriot
Cinematography:
1. In the Mood for Love
2. The Patriot
3. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
4. O Brother, Where Art Thou?
5. Malena
Louis: Do we still win if we got the other 4 in the right order? Because I believe I did.
Also, thanks for reviewing Alcazar. That was a pleasant surprise.
Louis: Rating and thoughts for Jared Leto?
Louis: I’ve noticed that Alcazar’s character in both Herod’s Law and The Perfect Dictatorship have the same last name, and the former takes place in the 1940s compared to modern-day for the latter film.
Just some food for thought.
Louis: My apologies, I actually only woke up from sleep about half an hour after the post to check up on anything. I'll take what you said on board.
Thoughts on the female performances. And I'm delighted that Deneuve got a five at last.
I’m so happy that Leung and Cheung went up and that In the Mood for Love seems to have gone up in your esteem, any particular thoughts in that regard?
Also, your thoughts on Yi Yi and Edward Yang’s direction, glad you liked it too.
i still kind of wish you had checked out What Women Want for the Gibson's sake though
Tim: He's not THAT good in it.
but still pretty good. And he is one of those actors who has that odd effect of instantly making any film not terrible
Louis: Glad you took to Laura Linney in "You Can Count On Me". I found it to be one of her most grounded and naturalistic performances.
Side note - It's interesting how her two lead nominations involve a stable sibling helping a more troubled one, and she ended up playing both of those roles.
Also, in relation to my recent viewings and a few songs I've just come across, what would be everyone's thoughts on the following tracks?
Fight As One - Downstait (Opening of "Earth's Mightiest Heroes")
Intro song - The Spectacular Spider Man
Strike Back AKA OP 16 - Fairy Tail (Don't watch the show, but I honestly like the song's rhythym and tone)
Breaking Through - The Wreckage
Alive - Stria
Louis: Regarding the psychiatrist scene at the end of Psycho, do you think it was mandated by the studio to be put in there or do you think it was in the shooting script? It's an unnecessary scene, but the film still works superbly. And supposedly Hitchcock and the crew called it "The Headshrinker explains it all". Makes me wonder if he hated filming that scene.
Louis, thoughts on The Emperor's New Groove and the cast.
And Damian Alcazar has 2 nominations.
Louis: what are your ratings and thoughts for Dennis Quaid and Jim Caveziel in Frequency?
Louis: Thoughts on the Cyrano trailer.
Louis: Thoughts on I've Seen It All from Dancer In The Dark.
Louis: I'm so happy Björk won Best Actress. An incredible performance.
What is your 6-10 for best director.
Louis, who do you think is the better actor Tom Hanks or Jeff Bridges?
I just finished watching The Night House. I’d give it a 4/5. Pretty impressed by Rebecca Hall’s performance, the writing and direction, the storytelling, and the visual presentation of it. CGI near the end was a little shaky and i was not too fond of the usage of jumpscares at times, but still pretty damn solid in my book.
Cast Ratings:
Rebecca Hall - 4.5
Sarah Goldberg - 3
Evan Jonigkeit - 3
Stacy Martin - 3
Vondie Curtis-Hall - 3.5
Rebecca Hall is pretty much always good, isn't she?
Louis: Your #6-#10 for Director in 2000.
Matt: that is an understatement, my man.
I just finished watched the remake of The Guilty. After discovering the original last night and how much of a masterpiece it was (Cedergren would get a 5 in my books by the way), this remake feels like a bit of an insult. Not only was it unnecessary, but it completely misunderstands what made the original one of the most original and effective thrillers in recent years and basically does almost the exact opposite. Plus, it is nothing more but a line-for-line, shot-for-shot remake that does not give anything new or fresh to the table and whatever stuff it adds that the original didn’t have makes the story more bloated (pointless use of California wildfires and Joe having family problems) despite it being just as long as the original. I give it a 3/10.
As for my rating for Gyllenhaal, i’d give him a 2.5. He gives an effort, but it’s brought down by horrible directing (particularly the amount of repetition between going very quiet at one moment to screaming in the next AND the amount of times the emotions are overdone) and filling the shoes of Cedergren, which he himself doesn’t do very well.
This remake of The Guilty only proves that Hollywood didn't learn Bong Joon-ho's lesson at the Golden Globes.
I'm suspicious of how bad it can come in the DRUK/Another Round remake.
Bryan:
Wholly a spiritual prequel, however I'd say Estrada was purposefully suggesting one was the descendant of the other.
Luke:
Björk - (The musician turned actor doesn't always work out, however this is an unbridled success. This as her performance itself is so essential for the piece, particularly in terms of offering a presence that is unlike any other onscreen performer. This is a one of a kind perfection for the part though as she needs to be really a peculiar sort, which in itself could've faltered if her performance wasn't this mix of different expressions that all feel one to this character. This as her work is defined by someone very much defined by emotion, in that her whole spirit feels she is a wrap of id in a way, though not in the usual way. This as everything about her is wrapped into herself in this particular way, as even her physical manner here is just fantastic whether it is in moments of the "real" world, where she's closed off more so, yet just the way she touches and moves, shows her wrapped into a feeling in a way. This is against the musical moments where here expressions are far more free, and in that she is incredible in being this musical delight, but in a way that distinctly her own and distinctly this character. This though against her manner in the world where her delivery is this tone of that I think strikes just the right balance between granting a reality to the character, while also being ethereal. She never goes too far in either directions making a truly distinct character that feels tangible yet also leaves such a profound impact by that kind of purity she achieves. It is one of those performances I found effortlessly fascinating throughout and is a spiritual companion to Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves, different actually in a lot of ways, in each are a singular achievement, however similar in this unique kind of impact achieved.)
Anderson - (The film doesn't *quite* get there, however I found her performance consistently impressive in creating this sort of kind of oppression defined by society's "mirth" essentially. Her performance is effective in creating the sense of the tragedy by basically portraying someone who is trying to be free in her expressive of herself yet this freedom just leaves her a victim of one public shaming after another. Anderson's own work free itself of repetition by showing this resilience in the character that is essentially slowly attack and in turn slowly decays from the repeated choices of society. She creates the right moving tragedy within her own work, by always keeping just the spirit of just an honest person in there, even within all of the cruelties.)
Bae - (She has such a great presence that for me in a lot of ways carries the film, a film that I think suggests Bong's eye for directing, but is easily his worst written film. It is kind of amazing to see the leap he took from here to Memories of Murder however. Anyway though Bae's performance I think captures what is missing in the lead character of the dog murderer, that being some actual humanity. This even in Bong's off-beat energy, Bae matches that beautifully and manages to be both quirky yet also moving in depicting the character's distinct kind of loneliness. It is a moving turn that holds together the film in many ways, by offering someone to follow even as the film is far too scattershot for its own good.)
Burstyn - (I HATED Requiem for A Dream, other than I guess the score and Burstyn's performance. Although even in her performance you get what I hated about the film, in that I feel Aronofsky treats his characters more so a props then humans and everything feels artificial in a way by how his directions seems like he's toying with figures rather than examining any real tragedy. There's nothing wrong with some slick presentation, but here it just felt like a geek show in technique. Having said that Burstyn I think fairs the best in terms of trying to find some genuine humanity. It never removed my reservations from the film, but what she does well, she is doing very well. She's an extremely talented performer and that is evident in portraying the slow degradation of her character, even if I had major qualms of the overarching method of the film in depicting it.)
Blanchett - (An extremely flimsy film to say the least, but Blanchett is just terrific in really giving some substance to even lame material. That is the case here, but Blanchett brings such an honesty to every moment that she really made the film worth watching for me. This in finding moments of real emotional nuance, but also just by figuring out how to bring humanity to the film's less than stellar story.)
Croze - (Well like the Korean trio's films this year, Villeneuve's film definitely is seeking to make an impression, and it does to an extent if imperfectly at times. What definitely helps is Croze's performance that has a striking penetrating quality in portraying this most curious state of not quite guilt but not a complete lack of shame either. Croze balances this in creating a fascinating atypical kind of portrait that the film is in general. She creates this sideways energy that really works beautifully.)
Linney - (The film itself I felt became a bit aimless as it went on, but Linney I think grants a strong performance at the center of it nonetheless. This as she finds this mix of a kind of assured manner of someone who feels they've achieved adult responsibility, but also this degree of unwieldy emotionalism about her work. She matches both effectively to craft something speaks honestly to her situations, even when the film itself drifts a little too much at times.)
Lathan - (The film works most when it is less melodramatic and we just get the two leads being romantic together. Their dynamic together in that and talking about basketball wholly works. Lathan is better than Epps I think the overtly melodramatic moments however, by not overplaying them and accentuating the sense of love in the moments of frustration. It is a strong leading turn, and it's a bit of shame she didn't have too much of a career afterwards.)
Belluci - (An extremely limited role as she is purposefully obscured as an object of many different kinds of affection. She's certainly good in portraying the different qualities of the different visions of her character, while also effectively having a few moments of something else. Still part of the flaw of the film is how repetitive it is, particularly how her character is depicted.)
Deneuve - (Wonderful performance from her, and I'm honestly surprised Von Trier allowed for such a heartwarming character to even exist in one of his films. Loved Deneuve here just in the consistent understanding warmth of her performance that in many ways feels like her taking over the mom role that she portrayed against in Umbrellas of Cherbourg. She's such a lovely presence but I like the depth of the moments of frustration, by so effectively showing how every one of her confrontations are from a place of exceptional love. Especially adore her little moments of comfort with Bjork like in the theater, or that final hug.)
Jin & Ko - (I mean almost every performance in the film is defined by a potent but strict naturalism. Their two performances are no exception to this in creating a such a real sense of these people truly as people and allowing us just to enter into this experience in such a seemingly straight forward yet powerful way.)
Kitt - (I mean all the voice performances are fun here, she's a great villain though in terms of finding the comedy by making her frustrated delivery both comical and devious. There's a potent and striking energy to every line she has and is just great.)
Gheorghiu & Binoche - (As much as the film is a Haneke where I think his style doesn't really work, I did like these two central performances in crafting two unique emotional states. This as their performances on their own just pull together this striking emotional truth and state. Wonderful work from each that are very specific in the intensity of their moments, yet notable in each.)
Ullman - (Really mainly for one confrontation scene, but that scene is just exceptional work. This in she pushing past all the contrived elements and creates something really heartbreaking in her moment that is a combination of a painful vulnerability and a fervent hatred.)
Jang - (Wonderful supporting work that brings mostly just a nice comical toughness, but she's terrific in bringing this little moments of nuance that suggest a little bit more to her character along with her potential interest in Song's.)
Connolly - (Again a human shaped prop, though a more humanistic of the human shaped prop. Hers particularly aggressive in that regard, but I did find she made this prop seem very human at times, even if the whole situation felt just like "How can I shock you".)
Woodward - (Not a major performance from her, totally in her wheelhouse, but she delivers as always.)
Emi Grant:
Yes.
Matt:
Leto - (Yeah found him the least impressive of the props just as felt his accent was overdone and that detached me all the more from something I was already quite detached from.)
Calvin:
I mean I already was a major fan of the film, but it is a film to appreciate all the more on re-watches just for how vibrant everything is about it. This really being the modern Brief Encounter I think, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Honestly I could see Wong taking my director win for it at some point.
Yi Yi is interesting in that I responded to it stronger than On a Brighter Summer Day, though I definitely thought that was a good film on its own terms. This as Yang's direction really is the same approach, this in this very passive, or at least seemingly, passive approach in showing life as is. This here I think particularly potent and powerful though in just quietly examining the lives changed by one event in such a natural way. Yang's direction just letting us in on each of these scenes with an astute yet reserved understanding. Not sure even why I responded more strongly, as his style is the same for each, perhaps something just resonated all the more of the story, that kind of has something for everyone in showing these different lives.
Tim:
I've more or less seen the film on TV here and there, just never from start to finish.
8000's:
No actually, as much as I'll praise plenty about Hitchcock, he did occasionally allow over-explaining at times, Psycho just happened to be the most obvious and poorly placed.
Glenn:
Quite enjoy it, saw it awhile ago just didn't update it. It is unique as Disney films go, this as it really is just a silly buddy road trip film, and just wonderfully enjoyable film of that ilk, though animated. Really more about the bits than the story, though the story completely works particularly the central arc, but the bits are consistently very funny especially the less than competent villainous duo.
Spade & Goodman - (One of the best uses of the former in anything, as his voice actually works quite well for comedic entitlement. Goodman's work is more expected in a certain sense, but also expectedly good in that same sense. Spade actually has to carry a little more there, and he does. Both though work in just hitting a nice comic stride with each other that is wholly winning.)
Lucas:
Still haven't re-watched it.
Luke:
Uhh, I miss the nose, and yeah his stature is obviously supposed to be his "nose" so to speak, but I wanted the nose DAMN IT. Okay more seriously, Cyrano I think is a great story, that doesn't have a great version (One must remember Ferrer is a lot better than the rest of his film). I don't think this is it, though I am interested to see what Dinklage does with it. Musically, have no idea about it, Wright's overt style actually should seem right for a musical in a lot of ways, but I don't know, seemed a little off here. Doesn't look like a disaster though.
I've Seen It All, as a song is the greatest merge of styles that is in itself kind of the film itself this being this beautiful flight of fancy with this brutal industrial realities. This as we get these contrasts throughout the song, from her beautiful voice and the orchestral flourishes against the train noises and the blunter instrumentation. Or even her vocals against Stormare's. This even in the lyrics themselves that seem some wonderful idea, while in fact looking at the idea of going blind. It is a beautiful song, while also being a brutal one in so many ways. It is a fascinating work that shouldn't work, much like the film, yet wholly does in creating such a unique experience.
Stephen:
6. Joel Coen - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
7. Ridley Scott - Gladiator
8. Lars von Trier - Dancer in the Dark
9. Kinji Fukasaku - Battle Royale
10. Luis Estrada - Herod's Law
Anonymous:
Honestly I'd put them basically on an even keel, in that they have very similar strengths and very similar limitations.
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