Chishu Ryu, There Was a Father George Sanders, The Moon and Sixpence Errol Flynn, Gentleman Jim Raimu, Strangers in the House Edward Arnold, Eyes in the Night
Spencer Tracy, Woman of the Year Michael Redgrave, Thunder Rock Cary Grant, Once Upon a Honeymoon James Mason, The Night Has Eyes Ray Milland, The Major and the Minor Edward G. Robinson, Larceny, Inc Errol Flynn, Desperate Journey
Supporting Ward Bond, Gentleman Jim Jules Berry, The Devil's Envoys Cecil Kellaway, I Married a Witch James Mason, Thunder Rock William Bendix, The Glass Key
Louis Tell me from the year 1933 which are your TOP7 best: - Score - Poster - Editing - Production (Films in which technical aspects such as sound, visual effects, makeup, costumes, production design and cinematography work collectively) - Screenplays (adapted and original) - Character of the year (name of character and the film) - Cast
I think the most interesting thing about 1942, is whether there be any changes in the positions of Wooley, Cagney and Colman, since some people want Cagney to get upgraded, I think Colman should be upgraded, its possible neither will be upgraded and Wooley keeps his Oscar line-up win.
RatedRStar: I didn't advocate for Colman because Louis really liked the 1st half of his performance but thought the 2nd half was alot less interesting and that kinda prevents him from going up any further.
Marie Dea in The Devil's Envoys I guess. I honestly don't know.
And I think Louis is doing 42 instead of 45 (which came before the former last time) because he needed to do something that takes less time before going into Awards Season/Recommendations/Backlog Vol. 3 etc.
Flynn in Gentleman Jim is going to be interesting in that Flynn called it his favorite performance. Not sure if he'll get a 5, but it'd be cool if he finally gets one.
Louis: Thoughts on the cinematography of Queen Christina, The Sea Wolf and The Unsuspected. Quite frankly, Polito deserved a nomination more for The Sea Wolf than for Sergeant York.
Chaliapin & Robey - 4(They make for an enjoyable double act to be sure. This as Chaliapin delivers that all head first approach, and though the film does limit his amount he can do by how quick the narrative is in a way, he's quite enjoyable in creating that steadfastness. This against Robey who brings the right knowing quality and more than anything is often the facilitator of scenes. This bringing this endearing knowing manner in contrast that works fairly well, though slightly unexploited by the film.)
Lukas - 4(Both his performances from him this year are surprisingly things that he wasn't tasked to do very often later on, which is just being kind of a charming goof. He's quite endearing as such here as the servant pretending to be the master, and he's just got the right affable lack of confidence in a way. He has the right sort not quite European lover manner and is just a sweet performer.)
Cooper & March - 4(I actually was *slightly* let down by the film in that I thought there would be more interplay between the leads. This as both March and Cooper are good. Cooper doing comedy, where he really is most comfortable on screen and March being reliable as per usual when dealing with screwball. Both are fine in delivering the wit even if I think both don't get to do as much as I would've liked.)
Robinson - 4(Standard, good, comic Robinson gangster performance, he's done it better elsewhere but this is a good version of it.)
Cagney - 3.5(In some ways his audition for Yankee Doodle Dandy, and for scenes of so much sort of vaudevillian exposition he finds ways to make them sing by the mere virtue of his energetic presence.)
Tracy - 3.5(Honestly one of his better performances early on as I thought he delivered genuine charm and heart here in the most light scenes. I think he's less compelling the more dramatic the film gets, but he stays decent throughout.)
Barrymore - 3.5(Kind of a fun role for him, though I actually might've liked pathos more from Barrymore more than comedy, however he's still enjoyable in a part mostly built to create the sort of nerdy presence. He does that well as far as it goes.)
Tracy - 3(Again he's alright in the lighter scenes however the more dramatic the scenes get the less impressed I was. Unfortunately here the dramatic scenes come sooner.)
Young - 3(Honestly I believe I've only ever seen Young give this exact same performance. He's consistent though I'll give him that.)
Grant - 2(Yeah...Grant doesn't quite have it yet and it is interesting to see how he doesn't quite have his presence yet. Here he's far more stilted than his typically charming commanding self.)
Baer - 2(Honestly better than I expected him to be, but mostly he just kind of smiles slightly and delivers his lines as attempted earnestly as possible. He doesn't quite have it, but he's not terrible.)
Tracy - 2(Honestly what holds back a film I really enjoyed otherwise due to Harlow's performance. The film needed prime Cary Grant though for such a duplicitous character that we're supposed to like, like Grant in His Girl Friday for example. Tracy just comes off as a sleaze.)
Gargan - 2(Dull and forgettable.)
Baur - 4(Delivers the calm dignity of the inspector type and really is effective in creating that presence of the man seemingly always breaking down everything that is going on around him. He creates the right power within the calm of the man. Additionally the moment where his sort of manner finally breaks he is genuinely moving and potent in his major scene.)
Inkijinoff - 4(Although he occasionally plays it up a bit too much, this is remarkable villain largely still. This bringing just so much sinister glee to his performance. His nefariousness though carries with it this sort of desperation within the man. This kind of need for the act almost as though it is a need beyond just any sort of lesser seen type of gain.)
Stephenson - 3.5(Although sadly we don't get a scene reflecting on the fate of Beth, Stephenson though is very moving in creating such a warm presence and fatherly presence in scenes with her. Additionally he's great in his first scene with Hepburn in bringing this fun quality in seemingly a stern figure at first.)
Horton - 3.5(I mean typical Horton energy and manner. Always delivers as such and this is no different.)
Lukas - 3.5(Again an endearing goof as the professor, and found him infinitely more charming this version of Laurie (who leaves much to be desired overall.) Lukas though genuinely works as the attempted though rather faulty romantic.)
Huston - 3.5(Underdeveloped role really but Huston does have some impact by virtue of being Huston. This by finding something in just some brief moments.)
Actress:
1. Greta Garbo - Queen Christina - 5 2. Barbara Stanwyck - Baby Face 3. Jean Harlow - Bombshell - 4.5 4. Katherine Hepburn - Little Women - 4.5 5. Lillian Gish - His Double Life - 4 6. Joan Blondell - Footlight Parade - 4 7. Miriam Hopkins - The Story of Temple Drake - 4 8. Loretta Young - Man's Castle - 3.5 9. Miriam Hopkins - Design for Living - 3 10. Myrna Loy - The Prizefighter and the Lady - 3
Supporting Actress:
1. Marie Dressler - Dinner at Eight 2. Merle Oberon - The Private Life of Henry VIII 3. Jean Harlow - Dinner at Eight 4. Bebe Daniels - Counsellor At Law 5. Bebe Daniels - 42nd Street 6. Frances Dee - Little Women - 3.5 7. Elsa Lanchester - The Private Life of Henry VIII 8. Edna May Oliver - Little Women - 3.5 9. Marjorie Rambeau - Man' Castle - 3.5 10. Spring Byington - Little Women - 3
Honestly my top five were the scores that stood out to me at all.
Poster:
1. King Kong (Crushing Plane) 2. King Kong (Gate) 3. The Invisible Man 4. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse 5. 42nd Street 6. Duck Soup 7. Sons of the Desert
Editing:
1. King Kong 2. The Invisible Man 3. Duck Soup 4. Sons of the Desert 5. Dinner At Eight 6. La Tête D’un Homme 7. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
Production:
1. King Kong 2. Queen Christina 3. The Invisible Man 4. Little Women 5. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse 6. The Private Life of Henry VIII 7. 42nd Street
Original Screenplay:
1. King Kong 2. Queen Christina 3. Duck Soup 4. Sons of the Desert 5. The Private Life of Henry VIII 6. The Little Giant 7. The Prizefigher and the Lady
Adapted Screenplay:
1. Dinner At Eight 2. La Tête D’un Homme 3. Little Women 4. The Invisible Man 5. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse 6. Design For Living 7. Counsellor At Law
Character:
1. King Kong 2. The Invisible Man 3. Laurel and Hardy 4. The Marx Brothers 5. Ann Darrow 6. Henry VIII 7. Queen Christina
Cast:
1. Dinner At Eight 2. The Private Life of Henry VIII 3. Little Women 4. Design For Living 5. Counsellor At Law 6. La Tête D’un Homme 7. Duck Soup
I mean choose any five from King Kong, very films used scores as we know them today...well other than Kong really.
Tim:
I mean Foote seems ideal to adapt the story and it is right up his alley. In turn Foote, is appropriately unfussy in his approach in the adaptation. This as his emphasis is more so interaction than literary symbolism and his adaptation, while is more or less the book, isn't focused upon the elements that I think could be expanded for more sort of thrusted upon it dramatic weight. His adaptation rather seems to concern itself with the straight forward drama of the people, in the circumstances with these lives, and this is where his writing does thrive.
Sinise's direction is fairly straight forward, though I don't think in a bad way. He more or less I think wants to make the story tangible rather than symbolic at any point. In turn the film looks more 90's than period, again not necessarily in a bad way. This as he seems to seek to wish you to be part of this farm and just see the people as tangible even in their period clothes. I don't think he fails as such and where he is successful is being straight forward in creating a sense of the personal interactions within the place more than anything. It is a low key approach to adaptation, and due to Sinise's limited output as director I don't know if this was a choice fully or a limitation. Still for this material I don't think it was a bad choice.
Stephen:
I mean I kind of summed my thoughts before, but feel free to ask again in 58.
Tahmeed:
I'll be honest I'm not sure. Cox, who has been very limited in his use this season, certainly dominated when expected to. I thought Harriet Walter was great in her return and showing some more sides to the seeming viper. Strong and Culkin though also contend in both of their reactions to Cox's verbal beat downs, and I love how they differed in interesting ways. Strong's more of a man being struck, and Culkin becoming a teenager whose done something really dumb. Though MacFadyen is tempting as usual, as his ability in showing such emotional vulnerability in a second is astonishing. Also even shout out to Ruck for his great awkwardness in Connor's questionable choice scene.
Honestly took as its, I assume, reference to The Graduate, as directly someone completely adrift at this point, though here perhaps more so a man in sinking raft than one that's just floating along.
Garbo - (I mean one of the most dominating performances I've ever seen quite frankly. Garbo commands the screen in a way that few actors do anyways, and this is perhaps her most domineering of all her work. She just exudes power so innately it is amazing. I mean I could just say this is great work just from her presence alone by how powerful she is. Honestly I'm not sure how much I might've liked the film overall on its own, but she makes it such a striking film by herself the rest of the film didn't really need to do all that much. She is indeed a Queen though in such a modern way really in so many ways to this force of this character she brings here and she is just so effortlessly compelling every second she is onscreen. What I think is all the more extraordinary is that the fact that the character has depth and vulnerability that Garbo brings out doesn't tarnish that strength even remotely. Rather Garbo uses to create the complexity of the role. This in bringing powerfully the sense of frustration that her status limits her happiness, but even this moments she commands in a way that is fascinating. She shows the Queen can be hurt certainly, but even then she takes it in a particular and demanding stride. This even not forgetting the amount of charisma she exudes in the romantic scenes which are just stunning to witness because of how much Garbo makes them sing. This as in a singular moment she brings this sort sly spirit of someone on a joke, this genuine romantic manner, but even this awkwardness of a secret. Not one element compromises the other. She makes it all her own in honestly might say this is an all timer for me, I loved every second of Garbo here.)
Gilbert - 3(I think where I can give Gilbert credit as much as he's overshadowed by Garbo I didn't feel he was completely dominated, where apparently early Olivier was which isn't too surprising given Olivier's other early work. Gilbert has enough presence to stand firm in that sense that the chemistry works. I don't think he's terribly engaging beyond that unfortunately.)
Hepburn - (Well honestly early Hepburn already seemed ideal for Jo anyways as she has that innate sort of spirit and drive. So it wasn't much of a leap to see that she was successful with it. I will say though it is so much better than her Oscar winning turn it is a real shame she didn't win for this instead. This as she delivers on the part in creating that sort of eccentric elements of Jo, but delivering the emotional vulnerabilities still even as she presents as this kind frustrating push pull. She has less chemistry with some Laurie than some, though I think her energy pulls what needs to be pulled out of those scenes. On the contrary though I really liked her chemistry with Lukas, though even that I like how it isn't quite traditionally romantic rather a meeting of eccentric spirits.)
Dee - (Liked what she delivered as Meg quite a bit, who usually gets the least to do as the sisters go, and I think Dee brings the right contrasting sensibility in her performance against what it is that Hepburn is doing. She has the right maturity in the moments and commands the right contrast with Hepburn.)
Parker - 3(Didn't feel she made much of an impact either way, though I did like her general presence well enough.)
Byington - 3(Marmie doesn't get to do too much here though I did like the warmth and emotional sense she brought to the part nonetheless.)
Oliver - (I mean this is the part she always played it seems (or at least some minor variation of it), and she always played it well though to her credit.)
Bennett - 2.5(Yeah I just don't think Bennett was a very good actress. She definitely tries very hard to play the part of Amy, which is adult and child here as well, and didn't really feel she hit either note all that well.)
Montgomery - 2.5(Came off more foppish than free spirited and lacking in requisite charm honestly. Particularly found him lacking in the later scenes where he barely had much of an impact.)
I never understood why Hepburn was nominated for Morning Glory since not only was she much better in Little Women, the movie itself seemed to be way more liked by the Academy, getting a Picture and Director and winning Adapted Screenplay. 1930s Oscars weirdness I guess.
Queen Christina is expectedly striking work from William Daniels I suppose, and doesn't waste the most luminous star of all time in Garbo to be sure. This as the way he lights her alone was worthy of recognition as there is such an internal glow he finds within her in every scene that makes her even more gorgeous than she already was gorgeous which is already a ridiculous amount. That as a focal point, which brilliantly used for the framing and composition of most shot, though shouldn't undercut the overall emotive quality of his work. This as you feel as though everything is fire place lit in a way in his oh so vibrant work.
The Sea Wolf is fantastic work by Polito as I love how he shoots the film, that is more so a sea adventure power struggle, as a horror film essentially with his use of the more ethereal lighting and always dynamic camera choices. Particularly notable in this capturing the crew of the ship in a way that captures the scope while maintaining an intensity of an enclosed space. How Robinson in particular is lit is fantastic work in creating himself as this almost ghoulish figure in many ways. Brilliant work.
Bredell's work, along with Curtz and Rains is all that the film has going for it. Honestly the former two just seem to be having fun in pulling as much style as they can out of every shot with the use of shadows and obscured choices in angles. Although it doesn't make the film good, the style they bring does grant it some value.
Louis: Before you move onto 1942, could you watch these Cagney films from 1933. The Mayor of Hell (https://ok.ru/video/1078679898780) Lady Killer (https://ok.ru/video/1997322979842) Picture Snatcher (https://ok.ru/video/349407414947) Hard To Handle (https://ok.ru/video/349407349411)
Hey guys! Tell us your ranks of 1942 nominees in each category:
Song (only 5 films) 1. "White Christmas" - Holiday Inn 2. "Love Is a Song" - Bambi 3. "Always in My Heart" - Always in My Heart 4. "Pennies for Peppino" - Flying with Music 5. "I've Heard That Song Before" - Youth on Parade
Score - Musical (only 5 films) 1. Yankee Doodle Dandy 2. Holiday Inn 3. My Gal Sal 4. You Were Never Lovelier 5. Flying with Music
Score - Drama/Comedy (only 5 films) 1. Now, Voyager 2. Jungle Book 3. The Black Swan 4. Bambi 5. To Be or Not to Be
Sound (only 5 films) 1. Yankee Doodle Dandy 2. The Gold Rush 3. Bambi 4. The Pride of the Yankees 5. Road to Morocco
Editing 1. Yankee Doodle Dandy 2. The Pride of the Yankees 3. This Above All 4. The Talk of the Town 5. Mrs. Miniver
Special Effects (only 5 films) 1. The Black Swan 2. Jungle Book 3. Reap the Wild Wind 4. One of Our Aircraft Is Missing 5. Invisible Agent
Art Direction - B&W (only 5 films) 1. The Magnificent Ambersons 2. This Above All 3. Random Harvest 4. The Shanghai Gesture 5. Silver Queen
Art Direction - COLOR (only 5 films) 1. Reap the Wild Wind 2. Arabian Nights 3. My Gal Sal 4. Captains of the Clouds 5. Jungle Book
Cinematography - B&W (only 5 films) 1. The Magnificent Ambersons 2. Kings Row 3. The Pied Piper 4. This Above All 5. Moontide
Cinematography - COLOR (only 5 films) 1. The Black Swan 2. Reap the Wild Wind 3. Arabian Nights 4. Jungle Book 5. Captains of the Clouds
Motion Picture Story 1. Yankee Doodle Dandy 2. 49th Parallel 3. The Talk of the Town 4. Holiday Inn 5. The Pride of the Yankees
Original Screenplay 1. Woman of the Yea 2. Wake Island 3. One of Our Aircraft Is Missing 4. Road to Morocco 5. The War Against Mrs. Hadley
Screenplay 1. Random Harvest 2. The Talk of the Town 3. 49th Parallel 4. The Pride of the Yankees 5. Mrs. Miniver
Supporting Actress 1. Agnes Moorehead 2. Gladys Cooper 3. Teresa Wright 4. Dame May Whitty 5. Susan Peters
Supporting Actor 1. Van Heflin 2. William Bendix 3. Walter Huston 4. Frank Morgan 5. 1Henry Travers
Lead Actress 1. Bette Davis 2. Katharine Hepburn 3. Rosalind Russell 4. Greer Garson 5. Teresa Wright
Lead Actor 1. Monty Woolley 2. James Cagney 3. Ronald Colman 4. Gary Cooper 5. Walter Pidgeon
Director 1. Michael Curtiz 2. John Farrow 3. Mervyn LeRoy 4. Sam Wood 5. William Wyler
Picture 1. The Magnificent Ambersons 2. Yankee Doodle Dandy 3. The Pied Piper 4. Wake Island 5. Random Harvest 6. 49th Parallel 7. The Talk of the Town 8. Kings Row 9. Mrs. Miniver 10. The Pride of the Yankees
Louis: Where would you personally put Ridley Scott on the auteur-workman scale of directors? As in, which one does he fall closer to in your view?
I've been thinking lately about how he doesn't write the films he directs (which seems to be a key trait of an "auteur"), yet he's delivered work as a director far above a say, Ron Howard.
1. Queen Christina 2. Camille 3. Anna Karenina 4. Ninotchka 5. The Painted Veil
Marcus:
I think I'll keep the review as it is testament a bit to me coming to terms with Bogart's work there and with Bogart in general. Though I actually saw Casablanca again very recently, and I'll say when I originally wrote the review I had seen less of his work really giving him less credit as an actor than I should've. Bogart I think if one looks at more of his filmography sees a greater awareness as an actor when he's at his best, and his best work isn't "by chance" or mere presence.
Bryan:
I think this is mixing concepts a little. I wouldn't quite say it goes Auteur - Workman - Hack, in that the auteur theory is a little messy anyways. Auteur is more descriptor than quality. Spielberg and Scorsese rarely write their films and they definitely have their own distinct style if anyone does. So I think visionary - Workman - Hack might be better, and in that sense Scott is definitely a visionary at his best. If Blade Runner and Alien are distinct visions from a filmmaker I don't know what films are. Scott occasionally will take on the workman veneer, but no filmmaker is completely above that (how he directed Someone to Watch Over Me is beyond me for example), but Scorsese also directed the Color of Money, so everyone can not be on for that day. Scott when his heart is in it fully seemingly is seeking to create unique visions that are definitely his own, in collaborations with others no doubt, but that is even true of the most Auteurish auteurs, it is just to different scales. I'd categorize him closer to the likes of Robert Wise and William Wyler who seek to create unique visions but adhere to the canvas setup by the new project, rather applying the project to their canvas.
Harlow - (Absolutely wonderful performance from here as she brings such an endearing energy to the role of the actress trying to find genuine comfort rather than scandal. Although again it is a shame her romantic lead comes off as just a creep, but Harlow does everything she can to make up for that. This as there is both the right comic energy she brings but also the right sincerity in conveying the struggle of the character. She is able to run with both to create a genuinely moving and still funny portrait at the center of the film.)
Gish - (The best part of her film just mainly through her distinct charm that she brings to it. She just has this sort of knowing quality that she devises that encourages a far more enjoyable manner to the material than straighter take might've. Gish always seems to have a little joke on everything that is within character that makes it all work.)
Hopkins - (Her performance brings the vibrancy needed for this role. Although she then is run through the ringer, and to her credit she does fairly artfully hit the random notes sent her way. I didn't feel it made the most cohesive of films still, but I did like her performance throughout nonetheless.)
Young - (Just a bluntly charming performance that has the right sort of endearing sense of a character maintaining this optimism within hardship. She brings the sort of "dirty" luminous quality that makes her stand out.)
Hopkins - (Thought she was fine here, though overall a little underwhelming in terms of striking up the chemistry with her male co-stars. This as she doesn't dominate them in the way the character is written as doing. She's more of there and I don't think quite makes use of her material fully.)
Loy - (Standard "the girl" role though Loy brings her typical charm.)
Rambeau - (Mainly she's on my lineup just for her last scene where she brings a whole lot of intensity in the singular moment, and as random as it seems to an extent, she makes a definite impact in that moment.)
i recently watched a movie called Horsemen, which is SHIT. It actually kind of begins with a good athmosphere, but around the halfway point deludes to an incoherent, sluggishly paced, emotionlessly directed story with an absolutely horrible conclusion.
And that scene with the zip bag? Would have been kind of creepy as a dream sequence (which i at first thought it was) but saying that actually happened is absolutely ridiculous.
Dennis Quaid - 2.5 Zhang Ziyi - 2 Lou Taylor Pucci - 2.5
We'll have to agree to disagree on your ratings for Miriam Hopkins, but I am very pleased to see a lot of love for Jean Harlow in Bombshell! Probably my favorite performance of hers and it's a shame the movie doesn't match her.
thoughts on the "101 Greatest Screenplays of the 21st Century (so far)" list. There are some choices i personally am not completely okay with, like Boyhood or Juno, and i think #3 should have been #1, but who cares when motherfucking Mad Max got in there!
If we're speaking innately (Some like Geraldine Page can certainly turn it on, but it isn't what you immediately think of her for.)
Greta Garbo Frances McDormand Sigourney Weaver Holly Hunter Charlize Theron Barbara Stanwyck Isabelle Huppert Maggie Smith Faye Dunaway Bette Davis
Tim:
I'd question in terms of rank (The Dark Knight over The Prestige) or Get Out as #1 (I think it is a worthy inclusion however I think the police station scene should keep it from topping such a list), and some inclusions, but having said that though a fine set of choices more or less.
Tim: I agree with you on how #3 should be #1 instead on a near religious level.
Aside from a few questionable choices (#11, #57, #38, #69), a couple Pixar screenplays too many (and the best of the bunch #48 being lower than some others), and In Bruges, The Favorite, The Master, Hell or High Water & Phantom Thread being WAY too low, it's not too bad of a list.
I also love the implication of Superbad being almost as well written as a PTA film.
Glenda Jackson definitely comes to mind for that list since she managed to play her character in A Touch of Class with the same intensity as Hedda Gabler and it totally worked
Louis: Meant to ask this a while ago, but which aspects of The Prestige grew on you when it became your new favourite of 2006? Also, could I have your tentative top 5 for Best Director that year.
Watched a couple of the BIFA winners (which if last year's jury is any indication will likely be BAFTA nominees...though not winners).
After Love I found to be largely good, though definitely has Indie filler, in that it spends a little too much time in contemplation that really is mainly there to hold off to the inevitable final dramatic beat. The actual dramatic beats though are well told, but I could've used a little less staring off into the distance. Don't cut it all out mind you, but some and maybe write a bit more dialogue...or maybe get too the expected climax earlier and do something unexpected with the story?
Scanlan - 4.5 Richard - 4 Ariss - 4
Also watched Boiling Point which I rather liked though I ponder if the film would've better without the "one shot" and had some actual editing to create the pressure cooker nature of the story. Still liked the vibrancy and detail of one long night in a restaurant.
Saving Graham and in exchange I'll give up Nivola in Many Saints.
Nivola - 4(In fact to amend my earlier sentiments on the film, I actually wouldn't recommend one views the film regardless of seeing the Sopranos or not, just avoid it as it is either baffling as a newbie or a baffling as an expert. It's really just a bad film the more I think about it and such a wasted opportunity in so many ways. Nivola though I think is more than just fine in the role in bringing the right charisma and intensity to the role. A role that really is never as important as it seemingly should be. He is working towards something, something the writing really has no idea on. Nivola though is compelling in himself, but really even his role feels just like wasted potential.)
I mean I always loved the Prestige, so I'm not sure anything grew on me, other than I finally said "no reason to "spread the wealth" just put it number #1". As it is indeed the film that has consistently had the strongest impact on me with each and every viewing. I'll admit the film's esteem has only grown just in terms of comparing it to Nolan's more recent efforts where you see he is capable of writing a great screenplay with exceptional characters, while also being twisty captivating. A twist though that provides greater stakes, is thematically relevant, and only enlivens the story upon deeper scrutiny. There is nothing in which I hold a reservation (well other than Scarlett Johansson still stick out like a sore thumb though she's really not in it much), as love the aesthetic, but more so love the power in the rivalry, both in what we see in the two men's ambitions but also in the detail granted to the characters all around them whether it is Cutter, Tesla and of course Sarah. It also features I think the greatest of all sort of Nolan summary sequences, with that final talk between Borden and Angier, with "it was the look on their faces" which is surprisingly moving just as it is desperate.
1. Christopher Nolan - The Prestige 2. Alfonso Cuaron - Children of Men 3. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck - The Lives of Others 4. Clint Eastwood - The Letters From Iwo Jima 5. Martin Scorsese - The Departed
Louis: Agreed with you wholeheartedly. Tt's always been my favourite Nolan film, and that final scene is also the reason why Jackman is a 5 for me there.
It's a little random, but did anyone else here watch 2000's "Dinosaur" when they were younger?
I have rather fond memories of that film, since it and "The Land Before Time" fueled my childhood interest in dinosaurs. And for how old the movie is and how far animation has come since 2000, I still feel much of it holds up from a technical perspective; The designs aren't fully accurate (Carnotaurus was basically shown as a T rex with horns), but the rendering of the landscapes, scales, fur and even facial/eye animations are pretty impressive overall.
Is anyone hoping for 2006 to be the next year from the 2000s. I'm looking forward to 04, 07 and 09 immensely but I'd rather have the Lead lineup with the least strength in depth first before getting to those 3 and hope for a 5 in supporting actor.
Luke: Basically middling with the outer two standard deviations of "loved it" and "hated it"...
Admittedly, I'll still probably watch the film at some point, since if I survived "Hillbilly Elegy" I can certainly survive this. All I'm hoping for is DiCaprio's good, which he most likely will be, because otherwise I have less than wishful expectations.
Mitchell: Oh, man. Dinosaur? Just like Luke, I barely remember it, but I do remember 6 year-old me being wowed by the visuals and the world building. Those opening minutes of just showing the landscapes and every dinosaur were impressive to me back then.
On the few bits of it that I've seen since then, I can tell that the CGI might not have aged nearly as well as I thought it would have.
Emi: It's definitely of an older animation style, and there are a number of moments where it falters (Ex. Carnotaurus first running out of the brush, or the copy-and-paste herd in the sand storm). That being said, it still looks decent enough IMO, and some of the facial expressions of both the dinosaurs and lemur gang are pretty good.
Anonymous: For me, 1. George Hearn/Michael Ball (Very close between the two, Ball might have a slight edge for me though due to the more authentic accent and his performance of the 'epiphany' is my personal favourite) 3. Len Cariou 4. Johnny Depp 5. Bryn Terfel (Sings it well but his acting is so lackluster)
And for Mrs. Lovett: 1. Angela Lansbury 2. Emma Thompson (Acts circles around Terfel) 3. Imelda Staunton 4. Helena Bonham Carter 5. Patti Lupone
Ahead of you on that one, as I watched Nowhere Special. A film that is definitely wearing its heart very obviously on its sleeve, however I felt it achieved balance in that approach, and ended up being pretty moving.
Saving Norton so I'll lose Rahim finally.
Rahim - 4.5(I think his performance is considerably better than his film, and really better than the use of the character. A character that really is more device than he should be in many ways, as even within his claimed innocence I think we should've seen more of his past in realizing the character. This instead we mainly get him as this lovable slightly eccentric client type who is hiding a heavy burden. To Rahim's credit he runs with even the most contrived elements of the writing. This delivering the charisma in the scenes that really are design in an overly devised way, however he is genuinely endearing in crafting these moments. While also he does not overplay them to grant some truth even in the false moments. This also in the sequences of just showing the emotional and physical break downs of the character. Both I think Rahim excels with this in moments of just quietly showing the weight of his situation, and being quite moving in the moments of the man seemingly making some headway at times before it is snapped back at him. The most intense moments Rahim certainly excels with in showing the sheer intensity of the treatment and reflects that powerfully with his work.)
Scalan - (A moving performance to be sure. And much of it is basically just what she speaks through her face throughout. This in just her initial reactions towards two difficult events/revelations, and in both she certainly brings the power from that moment. She continues with that as she goes about her strange choice, however in this Scalan is effective in playing two sides in her reactions that both just seemingly putting herself in trying to understand while also suffering in certain revelations. It is a good performance in terms of capturing really each moment of the difficulty, and even in my remarks about too many silent shots just examining her, she at least remains largely compelling within this.)
Richard - (Easily the most overt performance within the piece, however effective she is in terms of being more expressive against Scanlan. This in terms expressing her emotions in a way more guarded yet more open in an interesting way. In the sort of breaking moment she goes big, but effectively so in delivering the brunt surprise of it. This though later making a believable sense of her later scene to be sure.)
Ariss - (Like last year the BIFA I guess loves the newcomers, as again this is a good performance but the win seems a little much. Mostly Ariss is effectively naturally as just this kid being more or less himself with basic frustrations and wants of such a teenager. His major scene though is well delivered with the right sense of anxiety, pathos and though also warmth.)
Robinson - (Makes the most of her major scenes in terms of bluntly delivering every frustration all at once with such notable intensity. This though also conveying in each moment her sort of internalizing everything while also just trying to make it seemingly work at the same moment. Effectively being very much in the moment while also portraying the sense of the pressure. I liked most though humanity though she finds even in the frustrations showing a sense of concern even in her most intense moments, and never becoming just a voice of anger. Rather there is a real sense of the sad concern, just as there is of anger.)
Feetham - (Effectively seemingly vapid with just this biggest of fake smiles and ease of choice. This against though her major vocal scene of revealing her real sincere vulnerabilities where she is quite affecting in portraying that painful desperation.)
Flemyng - (Effectively a pompous jerk much of this time with this sort of smug assurance in every one of his casual criticisms. I like how he does balance this in the moments of genuine compliments or defense showing the genuine passion for cooking within the man beyond just criticizing those who he believes haven't gone beyond him.)
Panthaki - (The nomination is a little baffling as for much of the film he's just kind of there. He does have one scene, and that really is his own scene note, where he is the cathartic blow up against Graham. To his credit he delivers it well to be sure.)
Robert:
Getting close, though the delay is mainly due to me wishing to savor each episode.
Anonymous:
1. Michael Ball 2. George Hearn (Though I'd say he's superior in his with Lansbury performance) 3. Len Cariou 4. Johnny Depp
Depp, who I think actually does have some good moments in the role, but this one I think he's just all over the place in Epiphany. Some times he seems a monster, a rock star and a wistful poem. I mean if you were all those at once effectively, it'd be pretty amazing, but here I feel it is just bit messy. Cariou plays it far more joyful, and fittingly for the first I suppose, in crafting it as Todd having a religious experience in the moment. Hearn, who plays the part like a grand classic, if not Vincent Priceesque, horror villain (which I rather enjoy), we get that in his rendition as he plays it more so as his life's work being fulfilled and the villain finding his pride. First of all Ball in the role is a bit of a revelation for him, given I really only know him for his supremely boyish (though best) version as Marius (at several different ages). For me he achieves what I think what Depp was going for, but I think Ball achieves it as these insane mood sings throughout as a true psychopath, while just singing magnificently.
Hello folks! Tell your TOP10 best director, lead actress and supporting actress in 1942:
SUPPORTING ACTRESS 10º May Whitty - Mrs. Miniver 9º Teresa Wright - Mrs. Miniver 8º Ann Sheridan - Kings Row 7º Odette Talazac - The Murderer Lives at Number 21 6º Mary Astor - The Palm Beach Story 5º Celia Johnson - In Which We Serve 4º Gladys Cooper - Now, Voyager 3º Marie Dea - Les Visiteurs du soir 2º Anne Baxter - The Magnificent Ambersons 1º Agnes Moorehead - The Magnificent Ambersons
LEAD ACTRESS 10º Veronica Lake - I Married a Witch 9º Ida Lupino - Moontide 8º Suzy Delair - The Murderer Lives at Number 21 7º Carole Lombard - To Be or Not to Be 6º Arletty - Les Visiteurs du soir 5º Claudette Colbert - The Palm Beach Story 4º Katharine Hepburn - Woman of the Year 3º Ingrid Bergman - Casablanca 2º Joan Fontaine - This Above All 1º Bette Davis - Now, Voyager
DIRECTOR 10º Preston Sturges - The Palm Beach Story 9º Michael Curtiz - Yankee Doodle Dandee 8º Jacques Tourneur - Cat People 7º John Farrow - Wake Island 6º Ernst Lubistch - To Be or Not to Be 5º Alfred Hitchcock - Saboteur 4º Manoel de Oliveira - Aniki Bobó 3º Orson Welles - The Magnificent Ambersons 2º Henri-Georges Clouzot - The Murderer Lives at Number 21 1º Michael Curtiz - Casablanca
I saw C'mon C'mon. Probably my favorite movie of the year now. Absolutely loved it, and it hit me on even deeper level that it might others, because it is, and I mean this, the greatest and truest portrayal of an autistic child I've ever seen. They never call it that, but trust me, that's what it is.
Oh, before I forget, the internet series I watch "Death Battle" did release a new episode this monday, between two penultimate Shonen villains; Madara (Naruto) Vs Aizen (Bleach).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcGoiNzAcxs
There next episode (and season finale), meanwhile, is something I never would've predicted but am curious about nonetheless: Saitama Vs Popeye
Managed to see Drive My Car, which Calvin predicted correctly, I thought it was amazing (though ever so slightly torn on the ending, though only in a The Lighthouse way where I think there is an absolute knock out cut to black opportunity passed up, for what it is still a good scene, with purpose, but not as mighty in contrast.) Don't want to focus on that as I found it fascinating story of self-reflection, with just a seemingly calm conversation in a car being maybe the most transfixing scene of the year. It is also covertly the greatest cinematic adaptation of Uncle Vanya at the same time.
Releasing Chalamet - 4.5(I mean it isn't that much praise to say he wholly bests MacLachlan here, but I do think this is a terrific performance. This one being that I think he finds the right balance for Paul between charm and burden. This as he isn't too loose but he isn't too burdened by the drama either. He finds the right combination here I think to make Paul likable, while also still wholly conveying the sense of pressure from not only his name but also his visions. In turn I think he finds something properly natural in moments of Paul's journey and finding the right humanity just as he does find the gravitas. This in bringing the same sincerity to a moment of joking around with Duncan to speaking about the visions with his mother. Chalamet segues from one moment to the next with the right ease, and I think he successfully makes Paul the intergalactic "hero" he should be while also being tangibly down to earth all the same.)
Preemptively both Cagney performances are enjoyable though inferior versions of his gangster persona. This as they just don't have the depth of his work in Angels, White Heat, Public Enemy or The Roaring Thirties, though still entertaining to be sure.
Anonymous:
West - 1.5(I thought she was actively bad. I get that it was I guess her appeal or style, but she just seems bored with her line deliveries more than anything.)
Anonymous:
1. Angela Lansbury 2. Imelda Staunton 3. Patti LuPone 4. Helena Bonham Carter (Who I do definitely like more than a bit)
Tahmeed:
Hilarious level of sort of lack of awareness delivered impeccably by Ross.
Louis: I know Cagney's a 4 for Lady Killer. Is he a 4 or a 3,5 for Picture Snatcher?
I've also heard some interesting things about Raoul Walsh's The Bowery (Scorsese said it was his inspiration for Gangs of New York) and The Mystery of the Wax Museum (Curtiz doing horror).
Kind of hoping Louis considers Mike Faist for a review when he sees West Side Story. There’s a lot of subtext to how portrays Riff’s bigotry and attitude. Alvarez is also pretty damn great as Bernardo, capitalizing on a lot of missed opportunities from Chakiris’s work. DeBose is probably the MVP, though I’m not sure how much of it is because Anita is the “prize role” of the show in general.
My bets on Louis 1942 winners: PICTURE: Casablanca DIRECTOR: Michael Curtiz - Casablanca ACTOR: Humphrey Bogart - Casablanca ACTRESS: Bette Davis - Now, Voyager SUPPORTING ACTOR: Claude Rains - Casablanca SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Agnes Moorehead - The Magnificent Ambersons ENSEMBLE: Casablanca PRODUCTION DESIGN: The Magnificent Ambersons SOUND EDITING: Saboteur SOUND MIXING: Wake Island SCORE: Casablanca EDITING: Casablanca VISUAL EFFECTS: Saboteur COSTUME DESIGN: The Black Swan CINEMATOGRAPHY: Casablanca MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING: The Black Swan ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: The Murderer Lives at Number 21 ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Casablanca SONG: "Knock on Wood" - Casablanca
PS: If "As Time Goes By" had been created for the movie, it wouldn't just be the best song of 42, perhaps the greatest song ever.
Miura - (Her performance I think is pretty fascinating in that she actually plays the part initially as a background character and in that sense she is just as the driver. In that she is the driver just and is there. Miura when she begins speaking it is initially all business and profession. Scaling her character up to a minor supporting role in these moments until the relationship becomes more intimate in a platonic understanding. Her performance then reveals itself to be a major supporting character and Miura reveals it all. This with such a potent power in her revealing all there is to herself in each progressive scene. This being a brilliant work really in the subtle reveal and it has such an incredible weight and impact in that she reveals all there is to the character as we see her through Yusuke's perspective. Through that it is an unusual yet wholly powerful method to showing the blunt and moving humanity of the person who just seems to be the driver at first.)
Kirishima - (Her performance is enigmatic by design, and she delivers on this design. This as she is fascinating just as she is frustrating in a certain sense. This as she speaks her words with this curious kind of intensity where the emotions seem so powerful, even as they are also distant in the same way. This creating a most unusual connection.)
Park - (Her performance is essentially as the character of Sofya in Vanya more so than the character she is playing as that is where we see her perspective. And there is a true powerful perspective that is achieved as we are granted her sign language performance that is a particularly beautiful work, especially that of Sofya final monologue that is just an incredible scene, with her being an essential facet to that.)
8000's:
4.
I mean the nature of Cagney being such a dominating force as per usual, and the ease in which he can menace. Also interesting though is Bogart is as comfortable as weasel as he is the man in charge.
McKenzie - (I think McKenzie work is more than anything what makes the film work for me, beyond of course the visual splendor in the film. This as she provides the human factor as giving the powerful depiction of a painful descent into a kind of madness. This starting with her point of frustration and unease in the state of consistent shyness and awkwardness. Something I think McKenzie does particularly in a genuine way in that she is genuinely awkward rather than sort of eccentric awkwardness. She takes that innate sort of sweet point just as it is unpleasant in a certain sense and unwinds that effectively through every switch of the state. Creating the right sense of the ever growing desperation by connecting though with this punctuated sadness as created to the empathy towards the story she is connected to.)
Taylor-Joy/Rigg - (I mean largely there for an ethereal presence, which she certainly delivers on with the striking intensity both as this glamorous and haunting quantity. Rigg essentially is the true voice of the character and does deliver beyond what she's mostly been called for towards the end of career, which she delivers well again, to mix a bit of derangement but also overt sadness effectively and affectingly.)
Ajao - (I mean someone could've have made more of an impact I guess, but I think he also serves his purpose well enough even if not in a notable at all kind of way.)
Smith - (I think a more charming performance, Nicholas Hoult, might've served the role better, though Smith is fine on his own.)
Stamp - (Loved every bit of what he did have, as I thought he just brought the perfect presence of this grandeur of a creep, though also with the right undercurrent of this kind of sadness even within the creepy manner. This as his delivery of "most are" in reflection to the dead mother he does find some genuine pathos in the pathetic frame of the man. This while also just making for an impressively false villain. Although I will say the film really needed one more red herring to maintain more of a mystery (perhaps a kindly old man played by Tom Courtenay to keep us of the trail?))
Tushingham - (Just bring a nice sweet warmth in the scenes she does have, and it was certainly nice to see her.)
Claflin - (Actually here I'd say he was slightly too good in a certain sense in that his impression made me instantly think of who he was playing as a younger man so any potential for not seeing the twist was lost there.)
Loved the Great season 2 entirely. Thought it wholly worked in terms of court intrigue/world politics and the development of the character. Which I can I love the often unpredictable nature of it, and to me there was no greater choice than to forget boring old Leo(who I originally thought was going to be fully replaced by double mint Hoult, which also would've been a good idea), for more of the central pair's most unusual yet brilliant dynamic. That is without mentioning the glorious supporting cast, who, almost across the board, as compelling. This while also just being consistently hilarious.
Cast Ranking:
1. Belinda Bromilow 2. Adam Godley 3. Nicholas Hoult 4. Elle Fanning 5. Gwilym Lee 6. Phoebe Fox 7. Douglas Hodge 8. Freddie Fox 9. Charity Wakefield 10. ? 11. Gillian Anderson 12. Jamie Demetriou 13. Dustin Demri-Burns 14. Billy Postlethwaite 15. Ninette Finch 16. Sacha Dhawan 17. Grace Molony 18. Danusia Samal 19. Bayo Gbadamosi 20. Florence Keith-Roach 21. Anthony Welsh
I also watched West Side Story which I definitely liked and it’s growing on me, and Don’t Look Up which isn’t without merit but is just a complete mess.
Well I'll extend my comments as they continue from season 1
Bromilow - (I think she really got to take off the most from season 1, where she was indeed quite enjoyable as the kooky aunt. Now she is still extremely enjoyable as such here, but once again the series excels by letting the performers go deeper than expected with their roles. Bromilow's work two fold in this sense. This one being these brilliantly realized moments of an undercurrent of a political cutthroat at moments, which she can shift to so artfully with a single line reading. This also though doing the same for moments of vulnerability whether in position or emotionally. In each of these shifts are so effectively done by Bromilow while also never compromises the overall state of the character. It is amazing work as she makes Elizabeth so consistently dynamic, while still never losing the general idea of the eccentric relative.)
Godley - (Again I always wonder about other actors who rarely get the chance, as Godley usually is just cast as "milquetoast" guy. So once again to see him run away with a genuine role is something truly special. This only carries on here, where he delivers such an intense and driven performance here. This in carrying an entirely different presence from his usual, that is fascinating how much he can be as Archie, and never is he this one note simple "religious conservative" type. He wields rather that power, but also this sort of broken sense of responsibility towards his position. Deserves extra credit for even making his late breaking change wholly work by creating so naturally within the intense drives of the character.)
Hoult - (Hoult remains the most overtly comic performance out of the leads, even as he has technically a lot of dramatic moments, however he always is funny just because of how hilarious his Peter routine is. A routine I never get tired of, and I found he managed to create a new road for it in this venture of Peter trying to become a better man. Hoult not only mines this comedy for all that it is worth, but wholly realizes the moments of seeming earnestness or bits of potential discovery so brilliantly. Honestly at this point, if Hoult is boring in a film, I really feel like I have to blame the director for wasting him.)
Fanning - (Fanning, who I have been a fan of for some time, delivers her best performance yet I think here in season 2 this in just taking Catherine to the next level, but becoming more complex within her dynamic. This as she stops being kind of an expected good, and is instead a whole bunch of different conflicts here. Fanning's performance is excellent in terms of playing with her greater dominance, but also sense of complexity in her relationship with Peter. She's terrific in a way playing into both the strengths and flaws of the character in figuring out her reign. She makes it not some simplistic notion of the "hero" taking over, and instead makes it an appropriately shaky process at times. This though at the same time eloquently creating the growth of the leader with such power.)
Gwilym Lee - (Lee I'm impressed by making you care so much for essentially the defined sycophant, and was particularly impressed with his performance with Fox. Lee is interesting in that he totally works there as the sad sack lap dog, but then also has such genuine moments of vulnerability that are truly moving as well. It is a wonderful performance consistently once again.)
Phoebe Fox - (In a certain sense probably the least changed from the two seasons, other than getting to be a more overtly aggressive in moments, however Fox is once again wonderful in the part in the same way, though again with the addition of her chemistry with Lee)
Douglas Hodge - (Hodge's performance is still fascinating in the way he is both hilarious at the seeming cartoon of the drunken old soldier, yet has such powerful moments of the internalized everything that truly defines the man. Where we are already aware of that side this time around, Hodge stay consistent in this impact when this comes out, while still having his definite comical moments of being the soldier so to speak.)
Freddie Fox - (Just a hilarious petulant turn, in a way Hoult without the depth and to a greater extreme, and I mean that in a good way here. Fox just is incredible entertaining in his relative limited screentime and is great fun every moment he is onscreen. He's just a wonderful extra ingredient for the last couple of episodes.)
Watched For Whom the Bell Tolls yesterday. It tolls for anyone who watches it, with its incredibly slow place and mostly underdeveloped characters.
Gary Cooper: 3 (Has some really solid moments, but is usually underwhelming)
Ingrid Bergman: 3.5 (THIS was the role she was dying to get? Huh. She definitely helped with her natural charm, but the part it simply too underwritten in the script, for me to call her great. She's also hurt by her lack of chemistry with Cooper)
Akim Tamiroff: 2/2.5 (felt more like a caricature than anything else, so par for the course for him)
Katina Paxinou: 5 (The saving grace of the whole thing. Absolutely charismatic and lights up the screen whenever she's one. Her only notable fault is that she's not in it enough for my liking.)
Everyone else was kind of just there.
I suppose I can do a quick update for the supporting actress, and lead actress and actor nominees of that year (Still need to see Sahara), starting with the former
1. Gladys Cooper (5) 2. Katina Paxinou (it's real close) 3. Anne Revere (4) 4. Paulette Goddard 5. Lucile Watson (3/3.5)
1. Jennifer Jones (5) 2. Joan Fontaine (4.5/5) 3. Jean Arthur (4) 4. Greer Garson 5. Ingrid Bergman (3.5)
1. Humphrey Bogart (5) 2. Paul Lukas (4.5) 3. Walter Pidgeon (3.5) 4. Gary Cooper (3) 5. Mickey Rooney (1.5/2)
Louis: Would you agree the relative lack of attention towards Drive My Car’s performances v.s. the mass love from critics is strange, especially since it’s a film so centred on the acting?
To anyone here familar with DC comics or Dragonball: What would be your thoughts on this animated fight between Goku Black and Reverse Flash?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbLaj0c3SjY
I think it's quite well done in that the character's are accurately portrayed, the fight is suitably violent (again, like the characters), the music track is very good, and they have some fun with the time travelling aspects of Black and Flash.
1. Nope 2. Decision to Leave 3. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part I) 4. The Fabelmans 5. The Northman 6. TÁR 7. Red, White and Water 8. The Son 9. Showing Up 10. After Yang
Well Don't Look Now was surprising in that I merely hated most things about it, rather than everything about it. The satire aspect is atrocious, repetitive, grating, obvious, smug, obnoxiously performed, lacking genuine insight, and worst of all...not funny. Additionally McKay's choices of those random auto-focus shots, and random inserts, along with his typical clunky attempt at kinetic editing exacerbate the worst of it and get in the way of the best of it. The latter being in that I do think when the film is purely serious it does have some decent moments, the best being when McKay stops putting in his trademark choices and lets scenes breathe. Of course these moments are extremely limited in the film's overlong runtime.
Not sure who would get the DiCaprio bump (who I think is very much in play for the nomination) out of Rylance, Hill and Morgan.
Lawrence - 3.5 Streep - 2 Blanchett - 2 Perry - 2.5 Perlman - 2 Chalamet - 2.5 Patel - 2 Grande - 2 Lynskey - 3.5
Being the Ricardos is pretty much why Aaron Sorkin shouldn't direct his work. This as I didn't hate it, as I think the script has some good things, but needed a second voice to fully bring the life out of it. By cutting back on some groaner Sorkinisms and also reducing how much he tries to chew on regarding Ball's life is one part. The bigger part is how he directs his own material, where he seems to want to suck the life out of it, despite a game cast trying to the opposite. This with his ugly cinematography, the editing choices that seem to actively want to reduce the comic zip potential in the story, and the extremely overbearing use of score. I think Sorkin's script could've been a wonderful screwball comedy (with serious moments), but Sorkin directs it like staid drama that reduces rather than amplifies the virtues of his script.
Hey Louis and guys Let's leave the controversies aside because life goes on. Tell us your predictions for the Golden Globes this Monday.
Picture – Drama The Power of the Dog Belfast Dune King Richard Nightmare Alley
Picture – Comedy / Musical West Side Story Licorice Pizza Don’t Look Up Tick Tick Boom Cyrano
Director Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog Steven Spielberg - West Side Story Kenneth Branagh – Belfast Denis Villeneuve – Dune Guillermo Del Toro – Nightmare Alley
Actor – Drama Will Smith – King Richard Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power of the Dog Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth Javier Bardem - Being the Ricardos Joaquin Phoenix - C'mon C'mon
Actor – Comedy or Musical Andrew Garfield – Tick, Tick... Boom Leonardo DiCaprio – Don't Look Up Peter Dinklage – Cyrano Cooper Hoffman – Licorice Pizza Ansel Elgort – West Side Story
Actress – Drama Kristen Stewart – Spencer Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye Olivia Colman – The Lost Daughter Lady Gaga – House of Gucci Nicole Kidman – Being the Ricardos
Actress – Comedy or Musical Rachel Zegler – West Side Story Alana Haim – Licorice Pizza Jennifer Lawrence – Don't Look Up Emma Stone – Cruella Hayley Bennett – Cyrano
Supporting Actor Jamie Dornan – Belfast Ciaran Hinds – Belfast Jared Leto - House of Gucci Kodi Smit-McPhee – The Power of the Dog Jon Bernthal – King Richard
Supporting Actress Ariana Debose - West Side Story Caitriona Balfe - Belfast Aunjanue Ellis - King Richard Kirsten Dunst - The Power of the Dog Marlee Matlin - CODA
Screenplay Being the Ricardos The Power of the Dog Belfast Don't Look Up West Side Story
Animated The Mitchell vs the Machines Encanto Luca Raya and the Last Dragon Sing 2
Foreign Language Film Drive My Car The Worst Person in the World Titane The Hand of God A Hero
Score The Power of the Dog Dune Spencer Nightmare Alley The Tragedy of Macbeth
Song Be Alive - King Richard No Time to Die - No Time to Die Down to Joy - Belfast Guns Go Bang - The Harder They Fall Just Look Up - Don't Look Up
I'm glad you liked Lawrence, Louis, I'm baffled when people single her out as the worst thing about the film when she's actually the one who manages to make certain scenes work because, as you say, the serious boys are when the film works at its best.
Excellent choices, Reilly (in Gangs form) I think is particularly inspired. Bettany on the fence slightly but I could see it.
Razor:
Wakefield - (Relatively brief reprise of her work from season 1, still good and same virtues are there.)
? - (Perfectly cast, but delivers on that "greatness" to be sure. Offering the right sort of dominating larger than life presence, however with the right undercurrent of Hoult, though manipulated properly into the form of a more commanding/conquering figure.)
Anderson - (I mean she certainly delivers on what you'd expect, but she doesn't go further than that I suppose. She certainly does her cutting remarks as well, but in way within this cast she actually doesn't make that much of an impact, though I definitely liked her.)
Barratt - (Funny in just his random asides he gets, bringing this certain singular note of sleaze and a kind of demented manner in supposed wizened exposition.)
Dhawan - (The least interesting of all the principle performances. I'll say also his material is also the least interesting here as well probably, but I mostly found Dhawan just fine, though easy to forget among his co-stars.)
Welsh - (Found him just kind of dull and boring honestly. Its a small role, however I think there was potential for a moment of tremendous impact, however I think in the moment it is almost entirely sold by Godley, while Welsh is just kind of there.)
Calvin:
It is odd, though I think often times Foreign Films recognition tends to get a little hyper focused on a singular aspect. They can occasionally breakout from this, but it is rare e.g. Parasite, which even that could not break through with acting nominations. Still it's definitely a shame in that regard.
Luke:
1. The Banshees of Inisherin - (New McDonagh? Yes. With Farrell and Gleeson back together? Yes Yes. With Barry Keoghan? YES YES YES) 2. Babylon - (Chazzelle has yet to turn me wrong.) 3. The Son - (Hopkins and Zeller again is enough.) 4. Killers of the Flower Moon (Do have to say?) 5. The Fabelmans - (Super interesting subject matter for Spielberg, I mean you could almost argue it is a culmination to finally directly comment on his father after indirectly doing it for so long. So definitely interested.) 6. Decision to Leave - (A new Korean language Park film? Count me in, also sounds like prime material for him.) 7. Mission: Impossible 7 (If Cruise/McQuarrie can up the ante one more time? Why not. ) 8. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (I mean for the animation alone is enough.) 9. The Northman (Though early word is spotty, Eggers and that cast still will maintain my excitement.) 10. Next Goal Wins (Still)
I might've said Blonde (after all Assassination also struggled to get its release) but almost expect it to get delayed to 2023 at this point.
Although a lackluster film (with a bizarrely wasted Robert Carlyle in what is just a boring villain role), I do rather like the song which I think achieves what every Bond song should do, which is combine the modern musical sensibility with class Bond styles. This as you get late 90's electronic laced naturally with that of the melodic ballad that I really think is quite the successful blend here, particularly due to the impassioned vocals.
Anonymous:
Lawrence - (I think she's a little iffy early on mainly due to having to sell some particularly ill conceived jokes on McKay's part, and has the unfortunate one of trying to hit this running gag that just didn't work for me at all. Having said that I think she is largely effective in the role in playing it closer to some kind of reality in portraying the exasperation and anxiety. Really the straight man idea is more or less realized with Lawrence being part of it, the problem is the "straight" characters aren't provided with good colorful types to play off of. Lawrence though is particularly good later on though in finding some genuine nuance and depth in the progression of her character.)
Streep/Blanchett/Perlman/Patel/Grande - (Okay here's the problem is no is playing absurdity absolutely straight, which could've been funny. They all are going big eyed and goofy, and really overselling every line they get. Blanchett also isn't helped by a terrible set of false teeth, I have to assume a decree by McKay given she's not the only one saddled with them. McKay should've re-watched Strangelove though as Kubrick mixed between the broadly comic (Scott, Strangelove, Kong) with the comic via the ridiculous played seriously or with dramatic intensity (Wynn, Hayden, Bull, to an extent Muffley).
Perry - (I think he comes closer to hitting towards some actual satire by seeming genuine to an extent, but maybe he's helped by being used less.)
Chalamet - (Actually I think he's good in his later scenes, just pretty bad in his first scene as he too must go way overboard in that scene.)
Lynskey - (Delivers genuine heart in a straight forward and actually moving fashion. I mean per typical for Lynskey really.)
Kidman - (There's actually a line too relevant to this performance in the movie about Lucy being primed for radio, as Kidman's vocal performance is fantastic here. Sadly though her face is unfortunately, and I'm not trying to be mean, far to reduced in her ability to express herself at this point, which is ill-fitting for Ball who was all about the expressions. I think Kidman though does her best to try to make up for it by just being wholly genuine in every scene and really selling the hell out of every dramatic conceit given to her. I will say she was miscast in the end, but to Kidman's credit the quality of her work does keep her afloat.)
Arianda - (Found that she excelled the most here, though I think it helps that she has some of the better material to work with in portraying Vance's dealing in her place as second fiddle/"The unattractive wife". Arianda manages to bring the right sort of exasperated comic hate towards her moments with Simmons and the two do make a proper anti-pair. On top of that though she really delivers in not overplaying rather internalizing in rather powerful way her character's vulnerabilities regarding the perspective of her within the series. This while finding the right chemistry with Kidman that has a sense of warmth but also a sense of frustration.)
Hale - (I mean is he never not playing a put upon character? He does an expected fine job of it though.)
Shawkat - (In turn is she ever not playing a sardonic character, she does an expected fine job of it though.)
Lacy - (Does not make a fine job of any of it. Hale, Shawkat and Lacy are given the most overt Sorkinese and while I think the former two handle it pretty well, it comes off the most artificial from Lacy. Side note it was nice to see Ronny Cox again as the elder version of his character.)
Well I'd have to first comment on Hoult's impeccable comic timing of Peter doing his faux intellectual manner as he pretends to be absorbed in Galileo. The scene is in microcosm what I love about the season is going there with Catherine and Peter's relationship, and really Hoult pulling off some kind of magic, because as phony and despicable as he is, in that speech of his, damn if he isn't charming all in the same scene. Fanning to her credit though matches in her reactions of putting off the dismissive front, to her reaction though where she shows just how surprised, charmed and well turned on Catherine is by his speech. As much as their relationship should be defined by hate, this scene showed exactly how it could be subverted in a surprisingly convincing way.
Louis: Do you think there's a chance Drive My Car could *possilbly* get a nom for Adapted Screenplay? It's not really the most stacked category at this point and with the passion driving the film I do actually think it has a chance.
Agreed on the singular aspect, though I'm hoping LAFCA does what it does best and awards one of the performances.
Louis: I have the same feeling about the director possibility because his direction resembles Vinterberg's direction for me in some ways...we'll see, but that's why I haven't actually asked you for your thoughts on his work yet. Just in case.
Interestingly neither feel like a Hitchcock lead in that both have kind of an innate darkness about them, where Hitchcock was more about revealing the darkness in seemingly lighter figures like Stewart, Grant, Perkins, Cotten and Robert Walker. The latter three even showing the nature of his star villains tend to be an unexpected side where obviously Mitchum or Bogart are no stranger to fiends. They also don't quite have that "average man" vibe either, as the two seem like they should be up to something already rather than accidentally stumbling into it the way you see with Stewart, Grant, Donat, Cummings, or Redgrave.
Louis: Would you place Cox in supporting for Succession overall? Now that I think about it, he was largely sidelined for large portions of Season 1 and 3, but he was definitely co-lead in Season 2.
I agree with Tahmeed, definitely an argument for Supporting.
Hidetoshi Nishijima won BSFC and Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson won NYFCO, got to say I do enjoy how this year critics aren’t all just falling in line for the same performances even if there are some that are dominating (and even when The Power of the Dog dominates I really cannot complain).
Strong and Cox are the only ones who get pushed Lead (I think). I think you could make an argument for Shiv/Snook being a lead too. But yeah pure ensemble would work as well.
Louis: What do you prefer between an actor always 'going for it' with the risk of abject failure in their performances (like Nicolas Cage), or rather being more consistent in their type to decent results (like Caine in the early 2000s).
I saw Don’t Look Up. Definitely McKay’s best and most frustrating work, because it’s not a good movie but there’s clearly a great movie in there somewhere. In the hands of someone like Armando Iannucci this story could’ve been a knockout.
JLaw is MVP though DiCaprio is admittedly brilliant in THAT scene (I think he’ll be nominated for sure). Mark Rylance as Teddy Perkins as Elon Musk is the worst performance of the year, bar none. Rami Malek and Jared Leto’s turns this year look good in comparison.
I saw Don't Look Up, DiCaprio, Lawrence, Morgan and Lynskey are all good, the rest were poor (Rylance has left me heartbroken and not in a good way). I'm more or less in agreement with Calvin and Michael on this.
8000S: To be perfectly clear, he’s not “underwhelming,” he’s absolutely grotesque in all the wrong ways. As in, I think Calvin must have been in a generous mood to give him a 2.
(I'll go with 10, as the official lineup is good, not great on the whole with Smit-McPhee as Louis' clear choice) Alternate Kotsur Leung Affleck Wright Holland LaPaglia Okada Wong Faist/Alvarez Dafoe/Jenkins
The thing about Rylance's character is that like, I'm all for us taking the piss out of that particular brand of idiotic narcissistic tech moguls but the way he went about doing it made me feel like he was mocking something else altogether which I won't get too much into but like...I don't know.
And I think I'm in the minority here but I I enjoyed Leto's performance.
Michael is right, a 2 is too generous, he should not have the same rating as Hill who while I didn't find very funny either, at least didn't go that far off the wrong end.
Matt: I was actually leaning towards co-lead. I felt that his own story in navigating his life was just as prevalent to the film's central plot as Phoenix's story was.
I have him in Supporting. The film never really leaves Phoenix's POV. He's borderline and he works in either category for me though so there really is no right or wrong answer.
Matt: I’d go co-lead myself, since the whole story hinges on him needing someone to care for him. It is a very borderline case though. Also I meant to say this earlier, when you first commented on the film here, but my favorite thing about C’mon C’mon as a film is how it portrays adults relating to children in a way that is totally non-condescending.
Bryan: I actually don’t think anyone from Don’t Look Up will be nominated in supporting acto (they’re all a liiiiiittle too weird I think) but honestly I kinda hope Rylance gets nominated so I can see how scathing his review is.
Never have I felt more like Tom Hanks when he loses Wilson on the raft in Castaway then after seeing West Side Story. "Spielberg! Spielberg!, I'm sorry, I'm sorry Spielberg, Spielberg, I'm sorry"
I genuinely am for having doubted him here with this project, because this was AMAZING, I greatly preferred it to the original actually, which I don't dislike, but I honestly kind of loved this. Every musical sequence was just filled with so much energy, vibrancy and emotion. This is Spielberg's best directing I think since probably the D-Day sequence in Saving Private Ryan. The shifts in songs use I thought were far more effective here, and the additions/changes by Kushner I felt were brilliant. I am genuinely, but pleasantly surprised here. I was wrong to doubt, this film was great.
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark 2. Schindler's List 3. Saving Private Ryan 4. Munich 5. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 6. Fatal Attraction 7. Lincoln 8. Empire of the Sun
Tahmeed:
This season yes, lead in 2 though. I think one can say pure ensemble I think Kendall is the lead even if just.
Calvin:
Glad to see genuine diversity of thought in the choices.
Marcus:
Tahmeed summed it up nicely.
Matt:
Supporting though I wouldn't say a lead placement is ridiculous.
Bryan:
It is interesting in that I think if someone hates the film they'd probably go Morgan, but if someone loves the film's comedy they'd probably go Rylance. Therefore if someone gets in, I'd guess it's Rylance, since I don't see voters going out of their way to vote for a performance in a film they don't like. Without speaking to the performances in terms of my own opinion one way or another myself, the audience I was with was eating up both Hill and Rylance...so who knows.
I also watched West Side Story today and i loved it. Liked it more than the original myself.
Letterboxd Review: https://boxd.it/2m6HpJ
Ansel Elgort - 2/2.5 (could go higher or lower depending on how much more I think of this performance) Rachel Zegler - 4.5 Ariana DeBose - 4.5 David Alvarez - 4/4.5 Mike Faist - 3.5/4 Rita Moreno - 4/4.5 Corey Stoll - 3 Brian Darcy James - 3 Josh Andres Rivera - 3
Louis: Who would you say are the best examples of actors showing their full range in one particular film year?
My mind immediately goes to someone like Joe Pesci in 1990: He managed to be both intensely threatening and volatile in "Goodfellas", and somehow completely non-threatening and hilarious in "Home Alone".
Also, question for everyone here: What would be your thoughts on the following rock songs (I may have asked about some of them before, but I can't remember)?
Untraveled Road - Thousand Foot Krutch World So Cold - Three Days Grace Carnivore - Starset Drown In You - Daughtry My Name (Wearing Me Out) - Shinedown
Mitchell: I've been more focused on music than movies out of lately, so I'll take a stab...
- (Untraveled Road - TFK): Pretty nice, but what I find really distracting is how it sounds like a Linkin Park song through and through. Still, I would've dug it on Hybrid Theory/Meteora too.
- (World So Cold - 3DG): Solid 3DG all around. I think it's alright, but if there are any deep cuts from Life Starts Now that really fit my sensibilities, that'd be "Someone Who Cares"
- (Carnivore - Starset): Hell of a throwback here, Mitch. I fucked with this song quite a bit when getting into alt-rock/metal on late middle school. I dig the string arrangements and enjoy the driving melody and synths throughout the entire song. The lyrics are a bit cheesy, but they're my kind of cheese. I have a soft spot for this song.
- (Drown in You - Daughtry): Alt-rock hit 101, but one with quite the punchy chorus. I mostly dig it for that alone. Nice vocals too.
- (My Name - Shinedown): The lyrics are very cheesy, but the opening riff is intense enough to keep me around. The song also keeps a brisk enough pace to not overstay its welcome. Don't love it, but don't mind it either.
Untraveled Road - I'm not the biggest fan of speak-singing, and that takes up a waaaayyy to big part in this for me. I dug the chorus though.
World So Cold - standart TDG; good, but not my favorite of theirs. I personally prefer the 12 Strong song of the same name
Carnivore - liked it a lot. I dislike how he sometimes went into that high head voice in the chorus, otherwise it slaps
Drown In You - what Emi said
My Name -Gods, I'd go gay for that voice. Anyway, yeah, will not go down as my favorite lyrics either, but the melody is great enough that I'm still more than positive on it
Cannot express how much I dislike those Critics Choice nominations, especially with the complete snubbing of Passing and the absence of any foreign language rep in the directing, acting or screenplay categories.
So, I just saw the golden globe nominations, and my thoughts are a bit mixed. I love that The Power Of The Dog and Dune got so many nominations, as they are some of my favorites of the year, but ... How did Don't Look Up get 4 nominations while The Worst Person In The World wasn't even nominated for foreign language film? How did that happen?
Regarding Globes and Critics, which the latter never really matters, and the former I think lost a ton of their influence, however they do give you a very generalized temperature check. Although really even most of precursors with Academy overlap have lost some of that quality SAG after the merger and now BAFTA (For the acting and directing races) due to the Jury process. DGA, PGA and like ASC (because it has limited categories unlike the sound, production design), are the only ones I'd put that much stock in at this point.
Anyways...
The Biggest Misses prediction wise: Nightmare Alley in any acting category particularly Cooper (though my prediction of him is that he will be the last minute nominee).
Biggest Gets prediction wise: Nicolas Cage (even if it is just a critics choice), Mahershala Ali/Javier Bardem (even if it is just a Globe). However it puts the three on any kind of a map. And suggests Troy Kutsur is not just a pipe dream. The Lost Daughter making such a splash.
Quality wise: Definite mixed bag, things I like things I don't. I do think the Globes focused on trying to avoid any "Music" type nominations this year, that is something that isn't even considered in contention that is terrible. Although I do have to side-eye Cotillard for Annette, as I question if they actually watched the film (I mean given that the problem I speak of is related to the size of the role not the quality...which is also very limited by the size and nature of the part.)
Having said that I will not be changing anything from my Oscar predictions based on either set of nominations.
Calvin:
I have no desire to defend Critics Choice, which is a lame group who really just wants to be first and as predictive as possible, however I think when it comes to recognition of non-American(non British) films, it is best to be excited for a nice surprise, however never to count on it. And to be fair, it is not as though film awards outside of the US and Britain frequently nominate anything western in fact it is sometimes in banned in their rules.
Louis: That’s fair, I get your point, after all Vinterberg didn’t get anything major until BAFTA last year. We’ll see. I guess it’s just more annoying when I see critics groups around the US choose inspired international choices so it feels weird that there aren’t at least a few which will translate.
Negga being snubbed is fairly annoying to me but that’s just a personal thing. I’m glad Kotsur could potentially be a thing.
When I probably gave the rating for her last, was probably 20 years, don't know what she was last time, but currently she's a 4.5 for me, so no.
Mitchell:
John C. Reilly (Chicago, Gangs of New York) Alec Guinness (Cromwell, Scrooge or The Ladykillers/The Prisoner) Claude Rains (1942) Boris Karloff (The Criminal Code/Frankenstein or Bride of Frankenstein/The Black Room) Laurence Olivier (The Entertainer/Spartacus) Richard Attenborough (Guns at Batasi/Seance on a Wet Afternoon)
Tahmeed:
Extraordinary finale in every regard. I mean again combination of being just tremendous in terms of the turns of the plot which were effortlessly compelling as always, with a truly dynamite ending that left me only wanting more, fantastic though in every interaction big or small, whether it be Connor making his point, the siblings finally bonding again, or that ending that felt like Cox was finally fully unleashed in this episode, and honestly holding back in the way made this all the more powerful. Have to say, not sure on MVP of the episode as I thought Strong was great, Culkin, Snook and Ruck their best work in the series, and though less focused here Braun and MacFadyen fantastic as per usual. If I had to choose Culkin (as the episode shot him up the final ranking for me) but it is close.
1. Jeremy Strong 2. Matthew MacFadyen 3. Kieran Culkin 4. Sarah Snook 5. Brian Cox 6. Nicholas Braun 7. Alan Ruck 8. Harriet Walter 9. J Smith-Cameron 10. Peter Friedman 11. James Cromwell 12. Justine Lupe 13. David Rasche 14. Andrien Brody 15. Fisher Stevens 16. Arian Moayed 17. Natalie Gold 18. Annabelle Dexter-Jones 19. Peter Riegert 20. Alexander Skarsgard 21. Dagmara Dominczyk 22. Dasha Nekrasova 23. Hope Davis 24. Pip Torrens 25. Sanaa Lathan 26. Juliana Canfield 27. Zoe Winters 28. Larry Winters 29. Hiam Abbass 30. Jihae
Elgort - (I think the criticism of his performance is a bit overblown, though I think the casting of Tony as this fresh face, done in both versions, is a little curious. I think really the part wants a Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront type, where it is a "pretty boy" but with this dramatic depth and edge about them, which honestly is harder to find in the musical theater. Having said that, I really don't think he's terrible, he's at his worst in the last scenes where he doesn't really carry the anguish. Still I thought he managed to be mildly charming here. He's still not this source of charisma that casting directors seem to think he is, but I largely didn't mind him here. He does his Baby Driver thing, which I think is the only way he can be decent, which leaves him a little loss in the most dramatic moments, but again I think anyone seeing him as film ruining is being a bit hyperbolic to say the least. Besides Tony is a bit of a non Scrooge Dickens style lead, in that everyone else is more interesting, and it works anyways.)
Zegler - (Although to immediately back peddle, Maria is a limited role that relies very heavily on the performer to make it work, and boy does Zegler do that. She is just so powerfully, and beautifully luminous here. Her singing is fantastic, but so is the performance that goes with every moment of that. I think what she does so beautifully really is act within every moment of it, and even every moment of not singing. In that even the scene of her prepping her room to fake having slept normally, is made something special by the way she performs it with so much character even though Maria's main point is as this beautiful innocent. She is simply just wonderful to watch and hear here. Having said that as well though, she absolutely does deliver in the final moments, the immediate power of the heartbreak and the intensity of her anguished anger.)
De Bose - (Yes indeed the star role in a way, but just like any actor playing Hamlet, you do need to deliver the good even if you have the great role. Boy does De Bose deliver in every respect. Her performance just overwhelming in the level of charisma and the splendor really of her in every moment. De Bose just brightens up the screen in a fantastic way that is similar to Zegler, but also so distinctly different in being Anita's particular manner. Her "In America" is just a knockout performance in every respect whether it be her singing, dancing or acting. It is pure triumph. Of course she is equally great in the final moments of portraying her twisting emotions that she just excels with in delivering the dramatic turns with such ease yet with such potency and power.)
Moreno - (Of course I do have to ask where are my Twin Peaks boys??? Okay, I really didn't need them to be in the movie, since here with Moreno they wholly avoided making this feel like a gimmick cameo, and the changes I actually think were pretty brilliant in touching on some other ideas and themes. She of course brings the right maternal warmth here in the same way doc should have as the fatherly warmth. She though just really brings a spark, not unlike her original performance, that simply is wonderful. She's fantastic though as well in delivering the moment of despairing news, and delivering still such an intensity in the moment of calling out the Jets for what they are. Great work that was a genius choice.)
James & Stoll - (Both bring the right variation on the comedic to more questionably brutal bit of being overwhelmed or completely out of touch in handling the situation.)
Rivera - (One of the biggest improvements has to be Chino being an actual character here, where he's basically a non-entity until the ending of the film. Rivera I think does a fine job of portraying the gradual shift, almost entirely silent, from kind of the out of his depth nerd to the dangerous wannabe gangster.)
Michael:
Agree about Iannucci making it work, or perhaps McKay should've let Jesse Armstrong do a pass on the script honestly.
I agree complete on Chino, not only did it give more weight to that aspect of the storyline but it also gives Bernardo a lot more depth, and a nice sort of counterpoint to Tony/Riff. Probably the best thing Kushner does with the screenplay.
I definitely stand by Elgort being bad but also can agree it's not overly detrimental to the film just because he's always sharing the screen with someone who helps lift it.
Fantastic Beasts looks super bland to be honest (particularly the "team" there aside from Fogler), though hopefully it isn't a structural mess this time around with Kloves on the writing team now.
Have to admit even taking the foreign language angle out of the picture, those Critics Choice awards still give a bad temperature. Just as a B&W comparison, Branagh’s direction is simply nothing near what Hall, Coen, Anderson or even Mike Mills.
272 comments:
1 – 200 of 272 Newer› Newest»Louis: Ratings and Thoughts on the rest of the lead and supporting performances.
Your Female rankings with ratings and other 4+ honourable mentions.
For 1942
Errol Flynn in Gentleman Jim
Chishu Ryu in There Was A Father
Hopefully we shall have a 5 from this year.
Chishu Ryu, There Was a Father
George Sanders, The Moon and Sixpence
Errol Flynn, Gentleman Jim
Raimu, Strangers in the House
Edward Arnold, Eyes in the Night
Spencer Tracy, Woman of the Year
Michael Redgrave, Thunder Rock
Cary Grant, Once Upon a Honeymoon
James Mason, The Night Has Eyes
Ray Milland, The Major and the Minor
Edward G. Robinson, Larceny, Inc
Errol Flynn, Desperate Journey
Supporting
Ward Bond, Gentleman Jim
Jules Berry, The Devil's Envoys
Cecil Kellaway, I Married a Witch
James Mason, Thunder Rock
William Bendix, The Glass Key
Louis: Can you rewatch Casablanca and Yankee Doodle Dandy (Possible upgrades for Bogart, Rains and Cagney)
And Woman Of The Year (Katharine Hepburn)
Leslie Howards final performance in The First of the Few.
Louis
Tell me from the year 1933 which are your TOP7 best:
- Score
- Poster
- Editing
- Production (Films in which technical aspects such as sound, visual effects, makeup, costumes, production design and cinematography work collectively)
- Screenplays (adapted and original)
- Character of the year (name of character and the film)
- Cast
A 1942 film that I recommend is: the Portuguese Aniki-Bóbó by Manoel de Oliveira
I think the most interesting thing about 1942, is whether there be any changes in the positions of Wooley, Cagney and Colman, since some people want Cagney to get upgraded, I think Colman should be upgraded, its possible neither will be upgraded and Wooley keeps his Oscar line-up win.
RatedRStar: I didn't advocate for Colman because Louis really liked the 1st half of his performance but thought the 2nd half was alot less interesting and that kinda prevents him from going up any further.
Luke, who do you predict to win Actor, Actress and Supporting Actor 1942.
Glenn:
Actor: Bogart, Flynn or Ryu
Actress: Fontaine
Supporting Actor: Rains, Bond or Berry
Louis: Ratings and Thoughts on Garbo and Gilbert in Queen Christina and the cast of Little Women.
Louis: Your top 5 compositions for 1933.
Yeah Louis! It finally caught the worst year of the 1940s.
Luke: who do you predict to win Supporting Actress 1942.
Marie Dea in The Devil's Envoys I guess. I honestly don't know.
And I think Louis is doing 42 instead of 45 (which came before the former last time) because he needed to do something that takes less time before going into Awards Season/Recommendations/Backlog Vol. 3 etc.
And it's Holiday season as well so he may want to have more family time.
If you finished The Great Season 2, thoughts on the season and cast ranking?
your thoughts on the Screenplay and Direction of Of Mice And Men (92)?
Louis: Your thoughts on and MVP of last night's Succession, and your interpretation of THAT final scene.
Louis, your rating and thoughts on Kinuyo Tanaka in The Ballad Of Narayama.
Flynn in Gentleman Jim is going to be interesting in that Flynn called it his favorite performance. Not sure if he'll get a 5, but it'd be cool if he finally gets one.
Louis: Thoughts on the cinematography of Queen Christina, The Sea Wolf and The Unsuspected. Quite frankly, Polito deserved a nomination more for The Sea Wolf than for Sergeant York.
Your top 5 Greta Garbo performances?
Luke:
Chaliapin & Robey - 4(They make for an enjoyable double act to be sure. This as Chaliapin delivers that all head first approach, and though the film does limit his amount he can do by how quick the narrative is in a way, he's quite enjoyable in creating that steadfastness. This against Robey who brings the right knowing quality and more than anything is often the facilitator of scenes. This bringing this endearing knowing manner in contrast that works fairly well, though slightly unexploited by the film.)
Lukas - 4(Both his performances from him this year are surprisingly things that he wasn't tasked to do very often later on, which is just being kind of a charming goof. He's quite endearing as such here as the servant pretending to be the master, and he's just got the right affable lack of confidence in a way. He has the right sort not quite European lover manner and is just a sweet performer.)
Cooper & March - 4(I actually was *slightly* let down by the film in that I thought there would be more interplay between the leads. This as both March and Cooper are good. Cooper doing comedy, where he really is most comfortable on screen and March being reliable as per usual when dealing with screwball. Both are fine in delivering the wit even if I think both don't get to do as much as I would've liked.)
Robinson - 4(Standard, good, comic Robinson gangster performance, he's done it better elsewhere but this is a good version of it.)
Cagney - 3.5(In some ways his audition for Yankee Doodle Dandy, and for scenes of so much sort of vaudevillian exposition he finds ways to make them sing by the mere virtue of his energetic presence.)
Tracy - 3.5(Honestly one of his better performances early on as I thought he delivered genuine charm and heart here in the most light scenes. I think he's less compelling the more dramatic the film gets, but he stays decent throughout.)
Barrymore - 3.5(Kind of a fun role for him, though I actually might've liked pathos more from Barrymore more than comedy, however he's still enjoyable in a part mostly built to create the sort of nerdy presence. He does that well as far as it goes.)
Tracy - 3(Again he's alright in the lighter scenes however the more dramatic the scenes get the less impressed I was. Unfortunately here the dramatic scenes come sooner.)
Young - 3(Honestly I believe I've only ever seen Young give this exact same performance. He's consistent though I'll give him that.)
Grant - 2(Yeah...Grant doesn't quite have it yet and it is interesting to see how he doesn't quite have his presence yet. Here he's far more stilted than his typically charming commanding self.)
Baer - 2(Honestly better than I expected him to be, but mostly he just kind of smiles slightly and delivers his lines as attempted earnestly as possible. He doesn't quite have it, but he's not terrible.)
Tracy - 2(Honestly what holds back a film I really enjoyed otherwise due to Harlow's performance. The film needed prime Cary Grant though for such a duplicitous character that we're supposed to like, like Grant in His Girl Friday for example. Tracy just comes off as a sleaze.)
Gargan - 2(Dull and forgettable.)
Baur - 4(Delivers the calm dignity of the inspector type and really is effective in creating that presence of the man seemingly always breaking down everything that is going on around him. He creates the right power within the calm of the man. Additionally the moment where his sort of manner finally breaks he is genuinely moving and potent in his major scene.)
Inkijinoff - 4(Although he occasionally plays it up a bit too much, this is remarkable villain largely still. This bringing just so much sinister glee to his performance. His nefariousness though carries with it this sort of desperation within the man. This kind of need for the act almost as though it is a need beyond just any sort of lesser seen type of gain.)
Stephenson - 3.5(Although sadly we don't get a scene reflecting on the fate of Beth, Stephenson though is very moving in creating such a warm presence and fatherly presence in scenes with her. Additionally he's great in his first scene with Hepburn in bringing this fun quality in seemingly a stern figure at first.)
Horton - 3.5(I mean typical Horton energy and manner. Always delivers as such and this is no different.)
Lukas - 3.5(Again an endearing goof as the professor, and found him infinitely more charming this version of Laurie (who leaves much to be desired overall.) Lukas though genuinely works as the attempted though rather faulty romantic.)
Huston - 3.5(Underdeveloped role really but Huston does have some impact by virtue of being Huston. This by finding something in just some brief moments.)
Actress:
1. Greta Garbo - Queen Christina - 5
2. Barbara Stanwyck - Baby Face
3. Jean Harlow - Bombshell - 4.5
4. Katherine Hepburn - Little Women - 4.5
5. Lillian Gish - His Double Life - 4
6. Joan Blondell - Footlight Parade - 4
7. Miriam Hopkins - The Story of Temple Drake - 4
8. Loretta Young - Man's Castle - 3.5
9. Miriam Hopkins - Design for Living - 3
10. Myrna Loy - The Prizefighter and the Lady - 3
Supporting Actress:
1. Marie Dressler - Dinner at Eight
2. Merle Oberon - The Private Life of Henry VIII
3. Jean Harlow - Dinner at Eight
4. Bebe Daniels - Counsellor At Law
5. Bebe Daniels - 42nd Street
6. Frances Dee - Little Women - 3.5
7. Elsa Lanchester - The Private Life of Henry VIII
8. Edna May Oliver - Little Women - 3.5
9. Marjorie Rambeau - Man' Castle - 3.5
10. Spring Byington - Little Women - 3
Brazinterma:
Score:
Honestly my top five were the scores that stood out to me at all.
Poster:
1. King Kong (Crushing Plane)
2. King Kong (Gate)
3. The Invisible Man
4. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
5. 42nd Street
6. Duck Soup
7. Sons of the Desert
Editing:
1. King Kong
2. The Invisible Man
3. Duck Soup
4. Sons of the Desert
5. Dinner At Eight
6. La Tête D’un Homme
7. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
Production:
1. King Kong
2. Queen Christina
3. The Invisible Man
4. Little Women
5. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
6. The Private Life of Henry VIII
7. 42nd Street
Original Screenplay:
1. King Kong
2. Queen Christina
3. Duck Soup
4. Sons of the Desert
5. The Private Life of Henry VIII
6. The Little Giant
7. The Prizefigher and the Lady
Adapted Screenplay:
1. Dinner At Eight
2. La Tête D’un Homme
3. Little Women
4. The Invisible Man
5. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
6. Design For Living
7. Counsellor At Law
Character:
1. King Kong
2. The Invisible Man
3. Laurel and Hardy
4. The Marx Brothers
5. Ann Darrow
6. Henry VIII
7. Queen Christina
Cast:
1. Dinner At Eight
2. The Private Life of Henry VIII
3. Little Women
4. Design For Living
5. Counsellor At Law
6. La Tête D’un Homme
7. Duck Soup
Razor:
I mean choose any five from King Kong, very films used scores as we know them today...well other than Kong really.
Tim:
I mean Foote seems ideal to adapt the story and it is right up his alley. In turn Foote, is appropriately unfussy in his approach in the adaptation. This as his emphasis is more so interaction than literary symbolism and his adaptation, while is more or less the book, isn't focused upon the elements that I think could be expanded for more sort of thrusted upon it dramatic weight. His adaptation rather seems to concern itself with the straight forward drama of the people, in the circumstances with these lives, and this is where his writing does thrive.
Sinise's direction is fairly straight forward, though I don't think in a bad way. He more or less I think wants to make the story tangible rather than symbolic at any point. In turn the film looks more 90's than period, again not necessarily in a bad way. This as he seems to seek to wish you to be part of this farm and just see the people as tangible even in their period clothes. I don't think he fails as such and where he is successful is being straight forward in creating a sense of the personal interactions within the place more than anything. It is a low key approach to adaptation, and due to Sinise's limited output as director I don't know if this was a choice fully or a limitation. Still for this material I don't think it was a bad choice.
Stephen:
I mean I kind of summed my thoughts before, but feel free to ask again in 58.
Tahmeed:
I'll be honest I'm not sure. Cox, who has been very limited in his use this season, certainly dominated when expected to. I thought Harriet Walter was great in her return and showing some more sides to the seeming viper. Strong and Culkin though also contend in both of their reactions to Cox's verbal beat downs, and I love how they differed in interesting ways. Strong's more of a man being struck, and Culkin becoming a teenager whose done something really dumb. Though MacFadyen is tempting as usual, as his ability in showing such emotional vulnerability in a second is astonishing. Also even shout out to Ruck for his great awkwardness in Connor's questionable choice scene.
Honestly took as its, I assume, reference to The Graduate, as directly someone completely adrift at this point, though here perhaps more so a man in sinking raft than one that's just floating along.
Luke:
Garbo - (I mean one of the most dominating performances I've ever seen quite frankly. Garbo commands the screen in a way that few actors do anyways, and this is perhaps her most domineering of all her work. She just exudes power so innately it is amazing. I mean I could just say this is great work just from her presence alone by how powerful she is. Honestly I'm not sure how much I might've liked the film overall on its own, but she makes it such a striking film by herself the rest of the film didn't really need to do all that much. She is indeed a Queen though in such a modern way really in so many ways to this force of this character she brings here and she is just so effortlessly compelling every second she is onscreen. What I think is all the more extraordinary is that the fact that the character has depth and vulnerability that Garbo brings out doesn't tarnish that strength even remotely. Rather Garbo uses to create the complexity of the role. This in bringing powerfully the sense of frustration that her status limits her happiness, but even this moments she commands in a way that is fascinating. She shows the Queen can be hurt certainly, but even then she takes it in a particular and demanding stride. This even not forgetting the amount of charisma she exudes in the romantic scenes which are just stunning to witness because of how much Garbo makes them sing. This as in a singular moment she brings this sort sly spirit of someone on a joke, this genuine romantic manner, but even this awkwardness of a secret. Not one element compromises the other. She makes it all her own in honestly might say this is an all timer for me, I loved every second of Garbo here.)
Gilbert - 3(I think where I can give Gilbert credit as much as he's overshadowed by Garbo I didn't feel he was completely dominated, where apparently early Olivier was which isn't too surprising given Olivier's other early work. Gilbert has enough presence to stand firm in that sense that the chemistry works. I don't think he's terribly engaging beyond that unfortunately.)
Hepburn - (Well honestly early Hepburn already seemed ideal for Jo anyways as she has that innate sort of spirit and drive. So it wasn't much of a leap to see that she was successful with it. I will say though it is so much better than her Oscar winning turn it is a real shame she didn't win for this instead. This as she delivers on the part in creating that sort of eccentric elements of Jo, but delivering the emotional vulnerabilities still even as she presents as this kind frustrating push pull. She has less chemistry with some Laurie than some, though I think her energy pulls what needs to be pulled out of those scenes. On the contrary though I really liked her chemistry with Lukas, though even that I like how it isn't quite traditionally romantic rather a meeting of eccentric spirits.)
Dee - (Liked what she delivered as Meg quite a bit, who usually gets the least to do as the sisters go, and I think Dee brings the right contrasting sensibility in her performance against what it is that Hepburn is doing. She has the right maturity in the moments and commands the right contrast with Hepburn.)
Parker - 3(Didn't feel she made much of an impact either way, though I did like her general presence well enough.)
Byington - 3(Marmie doesn't get to do too much here though I did like the warmth and emotional sense she brought to the part nonetheless.)
Oliver - (I mean this is the part she always played it seems (or at least some minor variation of it), and she always played it well though to her credit.)
Bennett - 2.5(Yeah I just don't think Bennett was a very good actress. She definitely tries very hard to play the part of Amy, which is adult and child here as well, and didn't really feel she hit either note all that well.)
Montgomery - 2.5(Came off more foppish than free spirited and lacking in requisite charm honestly. Particularly found him lacking in the later scenes where he barely had much of an impact.)
I never understood why Hepburn was nominated for Morning Glory since not only was she much better in Little Women, the movie itself seemed to be way more liked by the Academy, getting a Picture and Director and winning Adapted Screenplay. 1930s Oscars weirdness I guess.
8000's:
Queen Christina is expectedly striking work from William Daniels I suppose, and doesn't waste the most luminous star of all time in Garbo to be sure. This as the way he lights her alone was worthy of recognition as there is such an internal glow he finds within her in every scene that makes her even more gorgeous than she already was gorgeous which is already a ridiculous amount. That as a focal point, which brilliantly used for the framing and composition of most shot, though shouldn't undercut the overall emotive quality of his work. This as you feel as though everything is fire place lit in a way in his oh so vibrant work.
The Sea Wolf is fantastic work by Polito as I love how he shoots the film, that is more so a sea adventure power struggle, as a horror film essentially with his use of the more ethereal lighting and always dynamic camera choices. Particularly notable in this capturing the crew of the ship in a way that captures the scope while maintaining an intensity of an enclosed space. How Robinson in particular is lit is fantastic work in creating himself as this almost ghoulish figure in many ways. Brilliant work.
Bredell's work, along with Curtz and Rains is all that the film has going for it. Honestly the former two just seem to be having fun in pulling as much style as they can out of every shot with the use of shadows and obscured choices in angles. Although it doesn't make the film good, the style they bring does grant it some value.
The Unsuspected.
Louis: Before you move onto 1942, could you watch these Cagney films from 1933.
The Mayor of Hell (https://ok.ru/video/1078679898780)
Lady Killer (https://ok.ru/video/1997322979842)
Picture Snatcher (https://ok.ru/video/349407414947)
Hard To Handle (https://ok.ru/video/349407349411)
Hey guys!
Tell us your ranks of 1942 nominees in each category:
Song (only 5 films)
1. "White Christmas" - Holiday Inn
2. "Love Is a Song" - Bambi
3. "Always in My Heart" - Always in My Heart
4. "Pennies for Peppino" - Flying with Music
5. "I've Heard That Song Before" - Youth on Parade
Score - Musical (only 5 films)
1. Yankee Doodle Dandy
2. Holiday Inn
3. My Gal Sal
4. You Were Never Lovelier
5. Flying with Music
Score - Drama/Comedy (only 5 films)
1. Now, Voyager
2. Jungle Book
3. The Black Swan
4. Bambi
5. To Be or Not to Be
Sound (only 5 films)
1. Yankee Doodle Dandy
2. The Gold Rush
3. Bambi
4. The Pride of the Yankees
5. Road to Morocco
Editing
1. Yankee Doodle Dandy
2. The Pride of the Yankees
3. This Above All
4. The Talk of the Town
5. Mrs. Miniver
Special Effects (only 5 films)
1. The Black Swan
2. Jungle Book
3. Reap the Wild Wind
4. One of Our Aircraft Is Missing
5. Invisible Agent
Art Direction - B&W (only 5 films)
1. The Magnificent Ambersons
2. This Above All
3. Random Harvest
4. The Shanghai Gesture
5. Silver Queen
Art Direction - COLOR (only 5 films)
1. Reap the Wild Wind
2. Arabian Nights
3. My Gal Sal
4. Captains of the Clouds
5. Jungle Book
Cinematography - B&W (only 5 films)
1. The Magnificent Ambersons
2. Kings Row
3. The Pied Piper
4. This Above All
5. Moontide
Cinematography - COLOR (only 5 films)
1. The Black Swan
2. Reap the Wild Wind
3. Arabian Nights
4. Jungle Book
5. Captains of the Clouds
Motion Picture Story
1. Yankee Doodle Dandy
2. 49th Parallel
3. The Talk of the Town
4. Holiday Inn
5. The Pride of the Yankees
Original Screenplay
1. Woman of the Yea
2. Wake Island
3. One of Our Aircraft Is Missing
4. Road to Morocco
5. The War Against Mrs. Hadley
Screenplay
1. Random Harvest
2. The Talk of the Town
3. 49th Parallel
4. The Pride of the Yankees
5. Mrs. Miniver
Supporting Actress
1. Agnes Moorehead
2. Gladys Cooper
3. Teresa Wright
4. Dame May Whitty
5. Susan Peters
Supporting Actor
1. Van Heflin
2. William Bendix
3. Walter Huston
4. Frank Morgan
5. 1Henry Travers
Lead Actress
1. Bette Davis
2. Katharine Hepburn
3. Rosalind Russell
4. Greer Garson
5. Teresa Wright
Lead Actor
1. Monty Woolley
2. James Cagney
3. Ronald Colman
4. Gary Cooper
5. Walter Pidgeon
Director
1. Michael Curtiz
2. John Farrow
3. Mervyn LeRoy
4. Sam Wood
5. William Wyler
Picture
1. The Magnificent Ambersons
2. Yankee Doodle Dandy
3. The Pied Piper
4. Wake Island
5. Random Harvest
6. 49th Parallel
7. The Talk of the Town
8. Kings Row
9. Mrs. Miniver
10. The Pride of the Yankees
And what are your ranks?
Louis: If Bogart goes up to a 5, will you update your review of his work slightly.
Louis: Thoughts on the rest of the female performances and is Marie Dressler a 4 or 4.5 for Dinner At Eight.
Louis: Where would you personally put Ridley Scott on the auteur-workman scale of directors? As in, which one does he fall closer to in your view?
I've been thinking lately about how he doesn't write the films he directs (which seems to be a key trait of an "auteur"), yet he's delivered work as a director far above a say, Ron Howard.
Louis: I know you did, I only wanted to put 'rest' in the comment. :)
Anonymous:
1. Queen Christina
2. Camille
3. Anna Karenina
4. Ninotchka
5. The Painted Veil
Marcus:
I think I'll keep the review as it is testament a bit to me coming to terms with Bogart's work there and with Bogart in general. Though I actually saw Casablanca again very recently, and I'll say when I originally wrote the review I had seen less of his work really giving him less credit as an actor than I should've. Bogart I think if one looks at more of his filmography sees a greater awareness as an actor when he's at his best, and his best work isn't "by chance" or mere presence.
Bryan:
I think this is mixing concepts a little. I wouldn't quite say it goes Auteur - Workman - Hack, in that the auteur theory is a little messy anyways. Auteur is more descriptor than quality. Spielberg and Scorsese rarely write their films and they definitely have their own distinct style if anyone does. So I think visionary - Workman - Hack might be better, and in that sense Scott is definitely a visionary at his best. If Blade Runner and Alien are distinct visions from a filmmaker I don't know what films are. Scott occasionally will take on the workman veneer, but no filmmaker is completely above that (how he directed Someone to Watch Over Me is beyond me for example), but Scorsese also directed the Color of Money, so everyone can not be on for that day. Scott when his heart is in it fully seemingly is seeking to create unique visions that are definitely his own, in collaborations with others no doubt, but that is even true of the most Auteurish auteurs, it is just to different scales. I'd categorize him closer to the likes of Robert Wise and William Wyler who seek to create unique visions but adhere to the canvas setup by the new project, rather applying the project to their canvas.
Caught up on King Richard, and wasn't into it, sadly. Just saw it as so predictable that I got no satisfaction out of its inspirational themes.
Smith - 3.5
Ellis - 4
Sidney - 3.5
Singleton - 3
Bernthal - 3.5
Goldwyn - 3
What actresses do you feel have the most commanding presence?
Louis: Your thoughts on the Holland/Fred Astaire casting.
Luke:
4.5
Harlow - (Absolutely wonderful performance from here as she brings such an endearing energy to the role of the actress trying to find genuine comfort rather than scandal. Although again it is a shame her romantic lead comes off as just a creep, but Harlow does everything she can to make up for that. This as there is both the right comic energy she brings but also the right sincerity in conveying the struggle of the character. She is able to run with both to create a genuinely moving and still funny portrait at the center of the film.)
Gish - (The best part of her film just mainly through her distinct charm that she brings to it. She just has this sort of knowing quality that she devises that encourages a far more enjoyable manner to the material than straighter take might've. Gish always seems to have a little joke on everything that is within character that makes it all work.)
Hopkins - (Her performance brings the vibrancy needed for this role. Although she then is run through the ringer, and to her credit she does fairly artfully hit the random notes sent her way. I didn't feel it made the most cohesive of films still, but I did like her performance throughout nonetheless.)
Young - (Just a bluntly charming performance that has the right sort of endearing sense of a character maintaining this optimism within hardship. She brings the sort of "dirty" luminous quality that makes her stand out.)
Hopkins - (Thought she was fine here, though overall a little underwhelming in terms of striking up the chemistry with her male co-stars. This as she doesn't dominate them in the way the character is written as doing. She's more of there and I don't think quite makes use of her material fully.)
Loy - (Standard "the girl" role though Loy brings her typical charm.)
Rambeau - (Mainly she's on my lineup just for her last scene where she brings a whole lot of intensity in the singular moment, and as random as it seems to an extent, she makes a definite impact in that moment.)
8000's:
I can watch two of those.
Luke:
Given he has at least a blurred resemblance (definitely a similar smile), and perhaps more importantly evidently can dance...makes sense.
i recently watched a movie called Horsemen, which is SHIT. It actually kind of begins with a good athmosphere, but around the halfway point deludes to an incoherent, sluggishly paced, emotionlessly directed story with an absolutely horrible conclusion.
And that scene with the zip bag? Would have been kind of creepy as a dream sequence (which i at first thought it was) but saying that actually happened is absolutely ridiculous.
Dennis Quaid - 2.5
Zhang Ziyi - 2
Lou Taylor Pucci - 2.5
The others are not even worth mentioning
We'll have to agree to disagree on your ratings for Miriam Hopkins, but I am very pleased to see a lot of love for Jean Harlow in Bombshell! Probably my favorite performance of hers and it's a shame the movie doesn't match her.
thoughts on the "101 Greatest Screenplays of the 21st Century (so far)" list. There are some choices i personally am not completely okay with, like Boyhood or Juno, and i think #3 should have been #1, but who cares when motherfucking Mad Max got in there!
Tim: There are several strong choices there, although they definitely added the wrong 'Your Name' if you ask me.
Anonymous:
If we're speaking innately (Some like Geraldine Page can certainly turn it on, but it isn't what you immediately think of her for.)
Greta Garbo
Frances McDormand
Sigourney Weaver
Holly Hunter
Charlize Theron
Barbara Stanwyck
Isabelle Huppert
Maggie Smith
Faye Dunaway
Bette Davis
Tim:
I'd question in terms of rank (The Dark Knight over The Prestige) or Get Out as #1 (I think it is a worthy inclusion however I think the police station scene should keep it from topping such a list), and some inclusions, but having said that though a fine set of choices more or less.
Tim: I agree with you on how #3 should be #1 instead on a near religious level.
Aside from a few questionable choices (#11, #57, #38, #69), a couple Pixar screenplays too many (and the best of the bunch #48 being lower than some others), and In Bruges, The Favorite, The Master, Hell or High Water & Phantom Thread being WAY too low, it's not too bad of a list.
I also love the implication of Superbad being almost as well written as a PTA film.
Glenda Jackson definitely comes to mind for that list since she managed to play her character in A Touch of Class with the same intensity as Hedda Gabler and it totally worked
The one that surprised me the most was Erin Brockovich at 78. I'm surprised people remember that film, let alone it's screenplay
Louis: Meant to ask this a while ago, but which aspects of The Prestige grew on you when it became your new favourite of 2006? Also, could I have your tentative top 5 for Best Director that year.
Watched a couple of the BIFA winners (which if last year's jury is any indication will likely be BAFTA nominees...though not winners).
After Love I found to be largely good, though definitely has Indie filler, in that it spends a little too much time in contemplation that really is mainly there to hold off to the inevitable final dramatic beat. The actual dramatic beats though are well told, but I could've used a little less staring off into the distance. Don't cut it all out mind you, but some and maybe write a bit more dialogue...or maybe get too the expected climax earlier and do something unexpected with the story?
Scanlan - 4.5
Richard - 4
Ariss - 4
Also watched Boiling Point which I rather liked though I ponder if the film would've better without the "one shot" and had some actual editing to create the pressure cooker nature of the story. Still liked the vibrancy and detail of one long night in a restaurant.
Robinson - 4.5
Feetham - 4
Flemyng - 3.5
Panthaki - 3.5
Saving Graham and in exchange I'll give up Nivola in Many Saints.
Nivola - 4(In fact to amend my earlier sentiments on the film, I actually wouldn't recommend one views the film regardless of seeing the Sopranos or not, just avoid it as it is either baffling as a newbie or a baffling as an expert. It's really just a bad film the more I think about it and such a wasted opportunity in so many ways. Nivola though I think is more than just fine in the role in bringing the right charisma and intensity to the role. A role that really is never as important as it seemingly should be. He is working towards something, something the writing really has no idea on. Nivola though is compelling in himself, but really even his role feels just like wasted potential.)
Tahmeed:
I mean I always loved the Prestige, so I'm not sure anything grew on me, other than I finally said "no reason to "spread the wealth" just put it number #1". As it is indeed the film that has consistently had the strongest impact on me with each and every viewing. I'll admit the film's esteem has only grown just in terms of comparing it to Nolan's more recent efforts where you see he is capable of writing a great screenplay with exceptional characters, while also being twisty captivating. A twist though that provides greater stakes, is thematically relevant, and only enlivens the story upon deeper scrutiny. There is nothing in which I hold a reservation (well other than Scarlett Johansson still stick out like a sore thumb though she's really not in it much), as love the aesthetic, but more so love the power in the rivalry, both in what we see in the two men's ambitions but also in the detail granted to the characters all around them whether it is Cutter, Tesla and of course Sarah. It also features I think the greatest of all sort of Nolan summary sequences, with that final talk between Borden and Angier, with "it was the look on their faces" which is surprisingly moving just as it is desperate.
1. Christopher Nolan - The Prestige
2. Alfonso Cuaron - Children of Men
3. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck - The Lives of Others
4. Clint Eastwood - The Letters From Iwo Jima
5. Martin Scorsese - The Departed
Louis: Any chance of both Bowie and Caine getting reviewed?
Robert:
Yes.
Louis: You finish The Great?
Louis: Agreed with you wholeheartedly. Tt's always been my favourite Nolan film, and that final scene is also the reason why Jackman is a 5 for me there.
*It's
Louis: Thoughts on the casts of those films and with the BIFA awards, would you be able to check out Nowhere Special.
It's a little random, but did anyone else here watch 2000's "Dinosaur" when they were younger?
I have rather fond memories of that film, since it and "The Land Before Time" fueled my childhood interest in dinosaurs. And for how old the movie is and how far animation has come since 2000, I still feel much of it holds up from a technical perspective; The designs aren't fully accurate (Carnotaurus was basically shown as a T rex with horns), but the rendering of the landscapes, scales, fur and even facial/eye animations are pretty impressive overall.
Mitchell: I have seen it though I remember very little of it (Been nearly 2 decades since I've watched it).
Is anyone hoping for 2006 to be the next year from the 2000s. I'm looking forward to 04, 07 and 09 immensely but I'd rather have the Lead lineup with the least strength in depth first before getting to those 3 and hope for a 5 in supporting actor.
Luke, I agree on the points you've made and Louis will finally see his last remaining Lynch film.
Luke: the next year of the 2000s that I really wanted is 2009, but if it's 2006 for me it's okay.
Don't Look Up reviews are out and yeah, nothing out of the ordinary there.
Luke: Basically middling with the outer two standard deviations of "loved it" and "hated it"...
Admittedly, I'll still probably watch the film at some point, since if I survived "Hillbilly Elegy" I can certainly survive this. All I'm hoping for is DiCaprio's good, which he most likely will be, because otherwise I have less than wishful expectations.
I hope DiCaprio made the good choice with Don't Look Up for turning down Del Toro and PTA.
Luke: Hmm, I don’t know what kind of role Rylance has in that movie but I hope he at least does a decent job. I mean he’s always good, right?
Razor: I've no doubt he gives the best supporting performance in the film,
Mitchell: Oh, man. Dinosaur? Just like Luke, I barely remember it, but I do remember 6 year-old me being wowed by the visuals and the world building. Those opening minutes of just showing the landscapes and every dinosaur were impressive to me back then.
On the few bits of it that I've seen since then, I can tell that the CGI might not have aged nearly as well as I thought it would have.
Emi: It's definitely of an older animation style, and there are a number of moments where it falters (Ex. Carnotaurus first running out of the brush, or the copy-and-paste herd in the sand storm). That being said, it still looks decent enough IMO, and some of the facial expressions of both the dinosaurs and lemur gang are pretty good.
Louis, how would you rank the Sweeney Todds you have watched or listened to.
Anonymous: For me,
1. George Hearn/Michael Ball (Very close between the two, Ball might have a slight edge for me though due to the more authentic accent and his performance of the 'epiphany' is my personal favourite)
3. Len Cariou
4. Johnny Depp
5. Bryn Terfel (Sings it well but his acting is so lackluster)
And for Mrs. Lovett:
1. Angela Lansbury
2. Emma Thompson (Acts circles around Terfel)
3. Imelda Staunton
4. Helena Bonham Carter
5. Patti Lupone
Louis: Speaking of Sweeney Todd, your thoughts on Cariou, Hearn, Depp and Ball's performance of the 'epiphany'.
I'll give my favourite Mrs Lovett's. Todd is a bit harder to rank only because George Hearn wipes the floor with all of them.
1. Patti Lupone
2. Angela Lansbury
3. Corrine Koslo (Shaw Festival, Niagra on the Lake, Canada)
4. Helena Bonham Carter
Shit, I put Lupone in 5th by mistake, I have her above Carter easily.
Those 4 I picked aren't the only ones I've seen by the way. They're my favourites. Carter is amazing as well, but those other three are the BEST.
Lol I just rewatched Sweeney Todd last night and decided it was Good, Actually™️. Same with Batman Returns. I’m a Burton shill now. I die free.
Robert: How do you feel about Depp's performance now.
Luke:
Ahead of you on that one, as I watched Nowhere Special. A film that is definitely wearing its heart very obviously on its sleeve, however I felt it achieved balance in that approach, and ended up being pretty moving.
Saving Norton so I'll lose Rahim finally.
Rahim - 4.5(I think his performance is considerably better than his film, and really better than the use of the character. A character that really is more device than he should be in many ways, as even within his claimed innocence I think we should've seen more of his past in realizing the character. This instead we mainly get him as this lovable slightly eccentric client type who is hiding a heavy burden. To Rahim's credit he runs with even the most contrived elements of the writing. This delivering the charisma in the scenes that really are design in an overly devised way, however he is genuinely endearing in crafting these moments. While also he does not overplay them to grant some truth even in the false moments. This also in the sequences of just showing the emotional and physical break downs of the character. Both I think Rahim excels with this in moments of just quietly showing the weight of his situation, and being quite moving in the moments of the man seemingly making some headway at times before it is snapped back at him. The most intense moments Rahim certainly excels with in showing the sheer intensity of the treatment and reflects that powerfully with his work.)
Scalan - (A moving performance to be sure. And much of it is basically just what she speaks through her face throughout. This in just her initial reactions towards two difficult events/revelations, and in both she certainly brings the power from that moment. She continues with that as she goes about her strange choice, however in this Scalan is effective in playing two sides in her reactions that both just seemingly putting herself in trying to understand while also suffering in certain revelations. It is a good performance in terms of capturing really each moment of the difficulty, and even in my remarks about too many silent shots just examining her, she at least remains largely compelling within this.)
Richard - (Easily the most overt performance within the piece, however effective she is in terms of being more expressive against Scanlan. This in terms expressing her emotions in a way more guarded yet more open in an interesting way. In the sort of breaking moment she goes big, but effectively so in delivering the brunt surprise of it. This though later making a believable sense of her later scene to be sure.)
Ariss - (Like last year the BIFA I guess loves the newcomers, as again this is a good performance but the win seems a little much. Mostly Ariss is effectively naturally as just this kid being more or less himself with basic frustrations and wants of such a teenager. His major scene though is well delivered with the right sense of anxiety, pathos and though also warmth.)
Robinson - (Makes the most of her major scenes in terms of bluntly delivering every frustration all at once with such notable intensity. This though also conveying in each moment her sort of internalizing everything while also just trying to make it seemingly work at the same moment. Effectively being very much in the moment while also portraying the sense of the pressure. I liked most though humanity though she finds even in the frustrations showing a sense of concern even in her most intense moments, and never becoming just a voice of anger. Rather there is a real sense of the sad concern, just as there is of anger.)
Feetham - (Effectively seemingly vapid with just this biggest of fake smiles and ease of choice. This against though her major vocal scene of revealing her real sincere vulnerabilities where she is quite affecting in portraying that painful desperation.)
Flemyng - (Effectively a pompous jerk much of this time with this sort of smug assurance in every one of his casual criticisms. I like how he does balance this in the moments of genuine compliments or defense showing the genuine passion for cooking within the man beyond just criticizing those who he believes haven't gone beyond him.)
Panthaki - (The nomination is a little baffling as for much of the film he's just kind of there. He does have one scene, and that really is his own scene note, where he is the cathartic blow up against Graham. To his credit he delivers it well to be sure.)
Robert:
Getting close, though the delay is mainly due to me wishing to savor each episode.
Anonymous:
1. Michael Ball
2. George Hearn (Though I'd say he's superior in his with Lansbury performance)
3. Len Cariou
4. Johnny Depp
Depp, who I think actually does have some good moments in the role, but this one I think he's just all over the place in Epiphany. Some times he seems a monster, a rock star and a wistful poem. I mean if you were all those at once effectively, it'd be pretty amazing, but here I feel it is just bit messy. Cariou plays it far more joyful, and fittingly for the first I suppose, in crafting it as Todd having a religious experience in the moment. Hearn, who plays the part like a grand classic, if not Vincent Priceesque, horror villain (which I rather enjoy), we get that in his rendition as he plays it more so as his life's work being fulfilled and the villain finding his pride. First of all Ball in the role is a bit of a revelation for him, given I really only know him for his supremely boyish (though best) version as Marius (at several different ages). For me he achieves what I think what Depp was going for, but I think Ball achieves it as these insane mood sings throughout as a true psychopath, while just singing magnificently.
Louis: Your rating and thoughts on Daniel Lamont.
Luke:
He's fine, but the way the character is used, the acting needed is built around Norton.
You're going to have an awful job picking your alternate ten this year Louis.
Rating/thoughts on Mae West in She Done Him Wrong?
Hello folks! Tell your TOP10 best director, lead actress and supporting actress in 1942:
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
10º May Whitty - Mrs. Miniver
9º Teresa Wright - Mrs. Miniver
8º Ann Sheridan - Kings Row
7º Odette Talazac - The Murderer Lives at Number 21
6º Mary Astor - The Palm Beach Story
5º Celia Johnson - In Which We Serve
4º Gladys Cooper - Now, Voyager
3º Marie Dea - Les Visiteurs du soir
2º Anne Baxter - The Magnificent Ambersons
1º Agnes Moorehead - The Magnificent Ambersons
LEAD ACTRESS
10º Veronica Lake - I Married a Witch
9º Ida Lupino - Moontide
8º Suzy Delair - The Murderer Lives at Number 21
7º Carole Lombard - To Be or Not to Be
6º Arletty - Les Visiteurs du soir
5º Claudette Colbert - The Palm Beach Story
4º Katharine Hepburn - Woman of the Year
3º Ingrid Bergman - Casablanca
2º Joan Fontaine - This Above All
1º Bette Davis - Now, Voyager
DIRECTOR
10º Preston Sturges - The Palm Beach Story
9º Michael Curtiz - Yankee Doodle Dandee
8º Jacques Tourneur - Cat People
7º John Farrow - Wake Island
6º Ernst Lubistch - To Be or Not to Be
5º Alfred Hitchcock - Saboteur
4º Manoel de Oliveira - Aniki Bobó
3º Orson Welles - The Magnificent Ambersons
2º Henri-Georges Clouzot - The Murderer Lives at Number 21
1º Michael Curtiz - Casablanca
Ranking and thoughts on the Mrs.Lovetts?
Louis: Your thoughts on this Gavin Belson monologue from Silicon Valley? (which I had no idea until now, that it was based on reality)
https://youtu.be/t5zQpN28xa4
I saw C'mon C'mon. Probably my favorite movie of the year now. Absolutely loved it, and it hit me on even deeper level that it might others, because it is, and I mean this, the greatest and truest portrayal of an autistic child I've ever seen. They never call it that, but trust me, that's what it is.
Phoenix-5
Hoffman-4.5
Norman-5
McNairy-3
Oh, before I forget, the internet series I watch "Death Battle" did release a new episode this monday, between two penultimate Shonen villains; Madara (Naruto) Vs Aizen (Bleach).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcGoiNzAcxs
There next episode (and season finale), meanwhile, is something I never would've predicted but am curious about nonetheless: Saitama Vs Popeye
I saw Jockey. Rather good and moving, and it’s nice to see Clifton Collins Jr. get his showcase opportunity.
RIP Lina Wertmüller
R.I.P. Lina Wertmüller
R.I.P. Lina Wertmüller
R.I.P. Lina Wertmüller
R.I.P. Lina Wertmüller. Sad loss of a trailblazer.
I saw West Side Story. Liked it more than the original. Kind of amazing how much magic Spielberg and Kushner pull off here.
Elgort is blown away by every single other performance, but like, we knew that ahead of time.
Rest in peace, Lina Wertmüller
R.I.P. Lina Wertmüller
Managed to see Drive My Car, which Calvin predicted correctly, I thought it was amazing (though ever so slightly torn on the ending, though only in a The Lighthouse way where I think there is an absolute knock out cut to black opportunity passed up, for what it is still a good scene, with purpose, but not as mighty in contrast.) Don't want to focus on that as I found it fascinating story of self-reflection, with just a seemingly calm conversation in a car being maybe the most transfixing scene of the year. It is also covertly the greatest cinematic adaptation of Uncle Vanya at the same time.
Saving Hidetoshi Nishijima and Masaki Okada.
Toko Miura - 5
Reika Kirishima - 4
Park Yoo-rim - 4
Releasing Chalamet - 4.5(I mean it isn't that much praise to say he wholly bests MacLachlan here, but I do think this is a terrific performance. This one being that I think he finds the right balance for Paul between charm and burden. This as he isn't too loose but he isn't too burdened by the drama either. He finds the right combination here I think to make Paul likable, while also still wholly conveying the sense of pressure from not only his name but also his visions. In turn I think he finds something properly natural in moments of Paul's journey and finding the right humanity just as he does find the gravitas. This in bringing the same sincerity to a moment of joking around with Duncan to speaking about the visions with his mother. Chalamet segues from one moment to the next with the right ease, and I think he successfully makes Paul the intergalactic "hero" he should be while also being tangibly down to earth all the same.)
Preemptively both Cagney performances are enjoyable though inferior versions of his gangster persona. This as they just don't have the depth of his work in Angels, White Heat, Public Enemy or The Roaring Thirties, though still entertaining to be sure.
Anonymous:
West - 1.5(I thought she was actively bad. I get that it was I guess her appeal or style, but she just seems bored with her line deliveries more than anything.)
Anonymous:
1. Angela Lansbury
2. Imelda Staunton
3. Patti LuPone
4. Helena Bonham Carter (Who I do definitely like more than a bit)
Tahmeed:
Hilarious level of sort of lack of awareness delivered impeccably by Ross.
Robert:
Well certainly more than intrigued at this point.
I’m delighted you loved it Louis, I just knew it would be your kind of thing. So glad Miura’s gotten a 5, I reckon she might end up being your win.
Louis: I know Cagney's a 4 for Lady Killer. Is he a 4 or a 3,5 for Picture Snatcher?
I've also heard some interesting things about Raoul Walsh's The Bowery (Scorsese said it was his inspiration for Gangs of New York) and The Mystery of the Wax Museum (Curtiz doing horror).
Kind of hoping Louis considers Mike Faist for a review when he sees West Side Story. There’s a lot of subtext to how portrays Riff’s bigotry and attitude. Alvarez is also pretty damn great as Bernardo, capitalizing on a lot of missed opportunities from Chakiris’s work. DeBose is probably the MVP, though I’m not sure how much of it is because Anita is the “prize role” of the show in general.
Louis: Have you seen As You Like It (1936)? If so, your rating and thoughts on Oliver's performance there.
Louis: Thoughts on the AWDF scene where Rocky coerces Frazier into calling Keefer.
Louis: Thoughts on the Drive My Car cast.
Louis: Thoughts on the Last Night in Soho cast?
Hello folks!
My bets on Louis 1942 winners:
PICTURE: Casablanca
DIRECTOR: Michael Curtiz - Casablanca
ACTOR: Humphrey Bogart - Casablanca
ACTRESS: Bette Davis - Now, Voyager
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Claude Rains - Casablanca
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Agnes Moorehead - The Magnificent Ambersons
ENSEMBLE: Casablanca
PRODUCTION DESIGN: The Magnificent Ambersons
SOUND EDITING: Saboteur
SOUND MIXING: Wake Island
SCORE: Casablanca
EDITING: Casablanca
VISUAL EFFECTS: Saboteur
COSTUME DESIGN: The Black Swan
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Casablanca
MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING: The Black Swan
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: The Murderer Lives at Number 21
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Casablanca
SONG: "Knock on Wood" - Casablanca
PS: If "As Time Goes By" had been created for the movie, it wouldn't just be the best song of 42, perhaps the greatest song ever.
R.I.P. Lina Wertmüller
Luke:
Miura - (Her performance I think is pretty fascinating in that she actually plays the part initially as a background character and in that sense she is just as the driver. In that she is the driver just and is there. Miura when she begins speaking it is initially all business and profession. Scaling her character up to a minor supporting role in these moments until the relationship becomes more intimate in a platonic understanding. Her performance then reveals itself to be a major supporting character and Miura reveals it all. This with such a potent power in her revealing all there is to herself in each progressive scene. This being a brilliant work really in the subtle reveal and it has such an incredible weight and impact in that she reveals all there is to the character as we see her through Yusuke's perspective. Through that it is an unusual yet wholly powerful method to showing the blunt and moving humanity of the person who just seems to be the driver at first.)
Kirishima - (Her performance is enigmatic by design, and she delivers on this design. This as she is fascinating just as she is frustrating in a certain sense. This as she speaks her words with this curious kind of intensity where the emotions seem so powerful, even as they are also distant in the same way. This creating a most unusual connection.)
Park - (Her performance is essentially as the character of Sofya in Vanya more so than the character she is playing as that is where we see her perspective. And there is a true powerful perspective that is achieved as we are granted her sign language performance that is a particularly beautiful work, especially that of Sofya final monologue that is just an incredible scene, with her being an essential facet to that.)
8000's:
4.
I mean the nature of Cagney being such a dominating force as per usual, and the ease in which he can menace. Also interesting though is Bogart is as comfortable as weasel as he is the man in charge.
Marcus:
I have not.
Anonymous:
McKenzie - (I think McKenzie work is more than anything what makes the film work for me, beyond of course the visual splendor in the film. This as she provides the human factor as giving the powerful depiction of a painful descent into a kind of madness. This starting with her point of frustration and unease in the state of consistent shyness and awkwardness. Something I think McKenzie does particularly in a genuine way in that she is genuinely awkward rather than sort of eccentric awkwardness. She takes that innate sort of sweet point just as it is unpleasant in a certain sense and unwinds that effectively through every switch of the state. Creating the right sense of the ever growing desperation by connecting though with this punctuated sadness as created to the empathy towards the story she is connected to.)
Taylor-Joy/Rigg - (I mean largely there for an ethereal presence, which she certainly delivers on with the striking intensity both as this glamorous and haunting quantity. Rigg essentially is the true voice of the character and does deliver beyond what she's mostly been called for towards the end of career, which she delivers well again, to mix a bit of derangement but also overt sadness effectively and affectingly.)
Ajao - (I mean someone could've have made more of an impact I guess, but I think he also serves his purpose well enough even if not in a notable at all kind of way.)
Smith - (I think a more charming performance, Nicholas Hoult, might've served the role better, though Smith is fine on his own.)
Stamp - (Loved every bit of what he did have, as I thought he just brought the perfect presence of this grandeur of a creep, though also with the right undercurrent of this kind of sadness even within the creepy manner. This as his delivery of "most are" in reflection to the dead mother he does find some genuine pathos in the pathetic frame of the man. This while also just making for an impressively false villain. Although I will say the film really needed one more red herring to maintain more of a mystery (perhaps a kindly old man played by Tom Courtenay to keep us of the trail?))
Tushingham - (Just bring a nice sweet warmth in the scenes she does have, and it was certainly nice to see her.)
Claflin - (Actually here I'd say he was slightly too good in a certain sense in that his impression made me instantly think of who he was playing as a younger man so any potential for not seeing the twist was lost there.)
Loved the Great season 2 entirely. Thought it wholly worked in terms of court intrigue/world politics and the development of the character. Which I can I love the often unpredictable nature of it, and to me there was no greater choice than to forget boring old Leo(who I originally thought was going to be fully replaced by double mint Hoult, which also would've been a good idea), for more of the central pair's most unusual yet brilliant dynamic. That is without mentioning the glorious supporting cast, who, almost across the board, as compelling. This while also just being consistently hilarious.
Cast Ranking:
1. Belinda Bromilow
2. Adam Godley
3. Nicholas Hoult
4. Elle Fanning
5. Gwilym Lee
6. Phoebe Fox
7. Douglas Hodge
8. Freddie Fox
9. Charity Wakefield
10. ?
11. Gillian Anderson
12. Jamie Demetriou
13. Dustin Demri-Burns
14. Billy Postlethwaite
15. Ninette Finch
16. Sacha Dhawan
17. Grace Molony
18. Danusia Samal
19. Bayo Gbadamosi
20. Florence Keith-Roach
21. Anthony Welsh
Adore 8 and up.
Louis: Thoughts on #9-1.
Louis: After Succession, you might want to check out Landscapers with Colman and Thewlis.
I also watched West Side Story which I definitely liked and it’s growing on me, and Don’t Look Up which isn’t without merit but is just a complete mess.
Calvin: what ratings would you give the cast of Don't Look Up?
DiCaprio: 4
Lawrence: 3.5
Morgan: 3.5/4
Hill: 2
Rylance: 2
Perry: 2.5
Chalamet: 2.5
Perlman: 2
Patel: 2.5
Lynskey: 3.5
Blanchett: 3
Streep: 3
Calvin: I read your review earlier and Rylance getting a 2 is shocking to say the least, I guess he isn't infallible.
Glad you liked Godley as much as I did, really positive Gary Oldman vibes from him.
Luke: You guys might like him more. Just didn’t work for me. The broader caricatures in the film largely didn’t.
Luke:
Well I'll extend my comments as they continue from season 1
Bromilow - (I think she really got to take off the most from season 1, where she was indeed quite enjoyable as the kooky aunt. Now she is still extremely enjoyable as such here, but once again the series excels by letting the performers go deeper than expected with their roles. Bromilow's work two fold in this sense. This one being these brilliantly realized moments of an undercurrent of a political cutthroat at moments, which she can shift to so artfully with a single line reading. This also though doing the same for moments of vulnerability whether in position or emotionally. In each of these shifts are so effectively done by Bromilow while also never compromises the overall state of the character. It is amazing work as she makes Elizabeth so consistently dynamic, while still never losing the general idea of the eccentric relative.)
Godley - (Again I always wonder about other actors who rarely get the chance, as Godley usually is just cast as "milquetoast" guy. So once again to see him run away with a genuine role is something truly special. This only carries on here, where he delivers such an intense and driven performance here. This in carrying an entirely different presence from his usual, that is fascinating how much he can be as Archie, and never is he this one note simple "religious conservative" type. He wields rather that power, but also this sort of broken sense of responsibility towards his position. Deserves extra credit for even making his late breaking change wholly work by creating so naturally within the intense drives of the character.)
Hoult - (Hoult remains the most overtly comic performance out of the leads, even as he has technically a lot of dramatic moments, however he always is funny just because of how hilarious his Peter routine is. A routine I never get tired of, and I found he managed to create a new road for it in this venture of Peter trying to become a better man. Hoult not only mines this comedy for all that it is worth, but wholly realizes the moments of seeming earnestness or bits of potential discovery so brilliantly. Honestly at this point, if Hoult is boring in a film, I really feel like I have to blame the director for wasting him.)
Fanning - (Fanning, who I have been a fan of for some time, delivers her best performance yet I think here in season 2 this in just taking Catherine to the next level, but becoming more complex within her dynamic. This as she stops being kind of an expected good, and is instead a whole bunch of different conflicts here. Fanning's performance is excellent in terms of playing with her greater dominance, but also sense of complexity in her relationship with Peter. She's terrific in a way playing into both the strengths and flaws of the character in figuring out her reign. She makes it not some simplistic notion of the "hero" taking over, and instead makes it an appropriately shaky process at times. This though at the same time eloquently creating the growth of the leader with such power.)
Gwilym Lee - (Lee I'm impressed by making you care so much for essentially the defined sycophant, and was particularly impressed with his performance with Fox. Lee is interesting in that he totally works there as the sad sack lap dog, but then also has such genuine moments of vulnerability that are truly moving as well. It is a wonderful performance consistently once again.)
Phoebe Fox - (In a certain sense probably the least changed from the two seasons, other than getting to be a more overtly aggressive in moments, however Fox is once again wonderful in the part in the same way, though again with the addition of her chemistry with Lee)
Douglas Hodge - (Hodge's performance is still fascinating in the way he is both hilarious at the seeming cartoon of the drunken old soldier, yet has such powerful moments of the internalized everything that truly defines the man. Where we are already aware of that side this time around, Hodge stay consistent in this impact when this comes out, while still having his definite comical moments of being the soldier so to speak.)
Freddie Fox - (Just a hilarious petulant turn, in a way Hoult without the depth and to a greater extreme, and I mean that in a good way here. Fox just is incredible entertaining in his relative limited screentime and is great fun every moment he is onscreen. He's just a wonderful extra ingredient for the last couple of episodes.)
Watched For Whom the Bell Tolls yesterday. It tolls for anyone who watches it, with its incredibly slow place and mostly underdeveloped characters.
Gary Cooper: 3 (Has some really solid moments, but is usually underwhelming)
Ingrid Bergman: 3.5 (THIS was the role she was dying to get? Huh. She definitely helped with her natural charm, but the part it simply too underwritten in the script, for me to call her great. She's also hurt by her lack of chemistry with Cooper)
Akim Tamiroff: 2/2.5 (felt more like a caricature than anything else, so par for the course for him)
Katina Paxinou: 5 (The saving grace of the whole thing. Absolutely charismatic and lights up the screen whenever she's one. Her only notable fault is that she's not in it enough for my liking.)
Everyone else was kind of just there.
I suppose I can do a quick update for the supporting actress, and lead actress and actor nominees of that year (Still need to see Sahara), starting with the former
1. Gladys Cooper (5)
2. Katina Paxinou (it's real close)
3. Anne Revere (4)
4. Paulette Goddard
5. Lucile Watson (3/3.5)
1. Jennifer Jones (5)
2. Joan Fontaine (4.5/5)
3. Jean Arthur (4)
4. Greer Garson
5. Ingrid Bergman (3.5)
1. Humphrey Bogart (5)
2. Paul Lukas (4.5)
3. Walter Pidgeon (3.5)
4. Gary Cooper (3)
5. Mickey Rooney (1.5/2)
Louis: Your thoughts on this 2000s cast for From Here to Eternity?
Prewitt: Joaquin Phoenix
Warden: Russell Crowe
Karen: Naomi Watts
Fatso: John C. Reilly
Maggio: Paul Bettany
Alma: Jennifer Connelly
Louis: Thoughts on these performances for The Great S2?
Charity Wakefield
?
Gillian Anderson
Julian Barratt
Sacha Dhawan
Anthony Welsh
Louis: Would you agree the relative lack of attention towards Drive My Car’s performances v.s. the mass love from critics is strange, especially since it’s a film so centred on the acting?
To anyone here familar with DC comics or Dragonball: What would be your thoughts on this animated fight between Goku Black and Reverse Flash?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbLaj0c3SjY
I think it's quite well done in that the character's are accurately portrayed, the fight is suitably violent (again, like the characters), the music track is very good, and they have some fun with the time travelling aspects of Black and Flash.
Louis: What are your ten most anticipated films of 2022 and your reasons why.
Mine are probably:
1. Nope
2. Decision to Leave
3. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part I)
4. The Fabelmans
5. The Northman
6. TÁR
7. Red, White and Water
8. The Son
9. Showing Up
10. After Yang
Louis: Your thoughts on “The World is Not Enough” from the film of the same name.
Well Don't Look Now was surprising in that I merely hated most things about it, rather than everything about it. The satire aspect is atrocious, repetitive, grating, obvious, smug, obnoxiously performed, lacking genuine insight, and worst of all...not funny. Additionally McKay's choices of those random auto-focus shots, and random inserts, along with his typical clunky attempt at kinetic editing exacerbate the worst of it and get in the way of the best of it. The latter being in that I do think when the film is purely serious it does have some decent moments, the best being when McKay stops putting in his trademark choices and lets scenes breathe. Of course these moments are extremely limited in the film's overlong runtime.
Not sure who would get the DiCaprio bump (who I think is very much in play for the nomination) out of Rylance, Hill and Morgan.
Lawrence - 3.5
Streep - 2
Blanchett - 2
Perry - 2.5
Perlman - 2
Chalamet - 2.5
Patel - 2
Grande - 2
Lynskey - 3.5
Being the Ricardos is pretty much why Aaron Sorkin shouldn't direct his work. This as I didn't hate it, as I think the script has some good things, but needed a second voice to fully bring the life out of it. By cutting back on some groaner Sorkinisms and also reducing how much he tries to chew on regarding Ball's life is one part. The bigger part is how he directs his own material, where he seems to want to suck the life out of it, despite a game cast trying to the opposite. This with his ugly cinematography, the editing choices that seem to actively want to reduce the comic zip potential in the story, and the extremely overbearing use of score. I think Sorkin's script could've been a wonderful screwball comedy (with serious moments), but Sorkin directs it like staid drama that reduces rather than amplifies the virtues of his script.
Kidman - 4
Arianda - 4.5
Hale - 3.5
Shawkat - 3.5
Lacy - 2.5
Will be watching West Side Story tomorrow.
Hey Louis and guys
Let's leave the controversies aside because life goes on. Tell us your predictions for the Golden Globes this Monday.
Picture – Drama
The Power of the Dog
Belfast
Dune
King Richard
Nightmare Alley
Picture – Comedy / Musical
West Side Story
Licorice Pizza
Don’t Look Up
Tick Tick Boom
Cyrano
Director
Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog
Steven Spielberg - West Side Story
Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
Denis Villeneuve – Dune
Guillermo Del Toro – Nightmare Alley
Actor – Drama
Will Smith – King Richard
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power of the Dog
Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth
Javier Bardem - Being the Ricardos
Joaquin Phoenix - C'mon C'mon
Actor – Comedy or Musical
Andrew Garfield – Tick, Tick... Boom
Leonardo DiCaprio – Don't Look Up
Peter Dinklage – Cyrano
Cooper Hoffman – Licorice Pizza
Ansel Elgort – West Side Story
Actress – Drama
Kristen Stewart – Spencer
Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Olivia Colman – The Lost Daughter
Lady Gaga – House of Gucci
Nicole Kidman – Being the Ricardos
Actress – Comedy or Musical
Rachel Zegler – West Side Story
Alana Haim – Licorice Pizza
Jennifer Lawrence – Don't Look Up
Emma Stone – Cruella
Hayley Bennett – Cyrano
Supporting Actor
Jamie Dornan – Belfast
Ciaran Hinds – Belfast
Jared Leto - House of Gucci
Kodi Smit-McPhee – The Power of the Dog
Jon Bernthal – King Richard
Supporting Actress
Ariana Debose - West Side Story
Caitriona Balfe - Belfast
Aunjanue Ellis - King Richard
Kirsten Dunst - The Power of the Dog
Marlee Matlin - CODA
Screenplay
Being the Ricardos
The Power of the Dog
Belfast
Don't Look Up
West Side Story
Animated
The Mitchell vs the Machines
Encanto
Luca
Raya and the Last Dragon
Sing 2
Foreign Language Film
Drive My Car
The Worst Person in the World
Titane
The Hand of God
A Hero
Score
The Power of the Dog
Dune
Spencer
Nightmare Alley
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Song
Be Alive - King Richard
No Time to Die - No Time to Die
Down to Joy - Belfast
Guns Go Bang - The Harder They Fall
Just Look Up - Don't Look Up
I'm glad you liked Lawrence, Louis, I'm baffled when people single her out as the worst thing about the film when she's actually the one who manages to make certain scenes work because, as you say, the serious boys are when the film works at its best.
Louis, thoughts on both casts.
Tahmeed:
Excellent choices, Reilly (in Gangs form) I think is particularly inspired. Bettany on the fence slightly but I could see it.
Razor:
Wakefield - (Relatively brief reprise of her work from season 1, still good and same virtues are there.)
? - (Perfectly cast, but delivers on that "greatness" to be sure. Offering the right sort of dominating larger than life presence, however with the right undercurrent of Hoult, though manipulated properly into the form of a more commanding/conquering figure.)
Anderson - (I mean she certainly delivers on what you'd expect, but she doesn't go further than that I suppose. She certainly does her cutting remarks as well, but in way within this cast she actually doesn't make that much of an impact, though I definitely liked her.)
Barratt - (Funny in just his random asides he gets, bringing this certain singular note of sleaze and a kind of demented manner in supposed wizened exposition.)
Dhawan - (The least interesting of all the principle performances. I'll say also his material is also the least interesting here as well probably, but I mostly found Dhawan just fine, though easy to forget among his co-stars.)
Welsh - (Found him just kind of dull and boring honestly. Its a small role, however I think there was potential for a moment of tremendous impact, however I think in the moment it is almost entirely sold by Godley, while Welsh is just kind of there.)
Calvin:
It is odd, though I think often times Foreign Films recognition tends to get a little hyper focused on a singular aspect. They can occasionally breakout from this, but it is rare e.g. Parasite, which even that could not break through with acting nominations. Still it's definitely a shame in that regard.
Luke:
1. The Banshees of Inisherin - (New McDonagh? Yes. With Farrell and Gleeson back together? Yes Yes. With Barry Keoghan? YES YES YES)
2. Babylon - (Chazzelle has yet to turn me wrong.)
3. The Son - (Hopkins and Zeller again is enough.)
4. Killers of the Flower Moon (Do have to say?)
5. The Fabelmans - (Super interesting subject matter for Spielberg, I mean you could almost argue it is a culmination to finally directly comment on his father after indirectly doing it for so long. So definitely interested.)
6. Decision to Leave - (A new Korean language Park film? Count me in, also sounds like prime material for him.)
7. Mission: Impossible 7 (If Cruise/McQuarrie can up the ante one more time? Why not. )
8. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (I mean for the animation alone is enough.)
9. The Northman (Though early word is spotty, Eggers and that cast still will maintain my excitement.)
10. Next Goal Wins (Still)
I might've said Blonde (after all Assassination also struggled to get its release) but almost expect it to get delayed to 2023 at this point.
Bryan:
Although a lackluster film (with a bizarrely wasted Robert Carlyle in what is just a boring villain role), I do rather like the song which I think achieves what every Bond song should do, which is combine the modern musical sensibility with class Bond styles. This as you get late 90's electronic laced naturally with that of the melodic ballad that I really think is quite the successful blend here, particularly due to the impassioned vocals.
Anonymous:
Lawrence - (I think she's a little iffy early on mainly due to having to sell some particularly ill conceived jokes on McKay's part, and has the unfortunate one of trying to hit this running gag that just didn't work for me at all. Having said that I think she is largely effective in the role in playing it closer to some kind of reality in portraying the exasperation and anxiety. Really the straight man idea is more or less realized with Lawrence being part of it, the problem is the "straight" characters aren't provided with good colorful types to play off of. Lawrence though is particularly good later on though in finding some genuine nuance and depth in the progression of her character.)
Streep/Blanchett/Perlman/Patel/Grande - (Okay here's the problem is no is playing absurdity absolutely straight, which could've been funny. They all are going big eyed and goofy, and really overselling every line they get. Blanchett also isn't helped by a terrible set of false teeth, I have to assume a decree by McKay given she's not the only one saddled with them. McKay should've re-watched Strangelove though as Kubrick mixed between the broadly comic (Scott, Strangelove, Kong) with the comic via the ridiculous played seriously or with dramatic intensity (Wynn, Hayden, Bull, to an extent Muffley).
Perry - (I think he comes closer to hitting towards some actual satire by seeming genuine to an extent, but maybe he's helped by being used less.)
Chalamet - (Actually I think he's good in his later scenes, just pretty bad in his first scene as he too must go way overboard in that scene.)
Lynskey - (Delivers genuine heart in a straight forward and actually moving fashion. I mean per typical for Lynskey really.)
Kidman - (There's actually a line too relevant to this performance in the movie about Lucy being primed for radio, as Kidman's vocal performance is fantastic here. Sadly though her face is unfortunately, and I'm not trying to be mean, far to reduced in her ability to express herself at this point, which is ill-fitting for Ball who was all about the expressions. I think Kidman though does her best to try to make up for it by just being wholly genuine in every scene and really selling the hell out of every dramatic conceit given to her. I will say she was miscast in the end, but to Kidman's credit the quality of her work does keep her afloat.)
Arianda - (Found that she excelled the most here, though I think it helps that she has some of the better material to work with in portraying Vance's dealing in her place as second fiddle/"The unattractive wife". Arianda manages to bring the right sort of exasperated comic hate towards her moments with Simmons and the two do make a proper anti-pair. On top of that though she really delivers in not overplaying rather internalizing in rather powerful way her character's vulnerabilities regarding the perspective of her within the series. This while finding the right chemistry with Kidman that has a sense of warmth but also a sense of frustration.)
Hale - (I mean is he never not playing a put upon character? He does an expected fine job of it though.)
Shawkat - (In turn is she ever not playing a sardonic character, she does an expected fine job of it though.)
Lacy - (Does not make a fine job of any of it. Hale, Shawkat and Lacy are given the most overt Sorkinese and while I think the former two handle it pretty well, it comes off the most artificial from Lacy. Side note it was nice to see Ronny Cox again as the elder version of his character.)
Louis: Thoughts on this scene from The Great? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifPbVMYZzvc
Robert:
Well I'd have to first comment on Hoult's impeccable comic timing of Peter doing his faux intellectual manner as he pretends to be absorbed in Galileo. The scene is in microcosm what I love about the season is going there with Catherine and Peter's relationship, and really Hoult pulling off some kind of magic, because as phony and despicable as he is, in that speech of his, damn if he isn't charming all in the same scene. Fanning to her credit though matches in her reactions of putting off the dismissive front, to her reaction though where she shows just how surprised, charmed and well turned on Catherine is by his speech. As much as their relationship should be defined by hate, this scene showed exactly how it could be subverted in a surprisingly convincing way.
Louis: Do you think there's a chance Drive My Car could *possilbly* get a nom for Adapted Screenplay? It's not really the most stacked category at this point and with the passion driving the film I do actually think it has a chance.
Agreed on the singular aspect, though I'm hoping LAFCA does what it does best and awards one of the performances.
Calvin:
Unfortunately probably not as I feel it'd have to get over the following at least:
The Power of the Dog
Nightmare Alley
West Side Story
Dune
Tragedy of Macbeth
The Lost Daughter
Passing
CODA
The Last Duel
House of Gucci
Not impossible I guess, though based on Vinterberg's nomination last year Hamaguchi in director might actually be oddly plausible however.
Louis: Thoughts on Bogart and Mitchum as hypothetical Hitchcock leads?
Louis: I have the same feeling about the director possibility because his direction resembles Vinterberg's direction for me in some ways...we'll see, but that's why I haven't actually asked you for your thoughts on his work yet. Just in case.
8000's:
Interestingly neither feel like a Hitchcock lead in that both have kind of an innate darkness about them, where Hitchcock was more about revealing the darkness in seemingly lighter figures like Stewart, Grant, Perkins, Cotten and Robert Walker. The latter three even showing the nature of his star villains tend to be an unexpected side where obviously Mitchum or Bogart are no stranger to fiends. They also don't quite have that "average man" vibe either, as the two seem like they should be up to something already rather than accidentally stumbling into it the way you see with Stewart, Grant, Donat, Cummings, or Redgrave.
your ranking of Michael Kahn's nominations?
Louis: Would you place Cox in supporting for Succession overall? Now that I think about it, he was largely sidelined for large portions of Season 1 and 3, but he was definitely co-lead in Season 2.
I agree with Tahmeed, definitely an argument for Supporting.
Hidetoshi Nishijima won BSFC and Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson won NYFCO, got to say I do enjoy how this year critics aren’t all just falling in line for the same performances even if there are some that are dominating (and even when The Power of the Dog dominates I really cannot complain).
Is it not an ensemble? Or is Jeremy Strong definitely lead?
Matt: I feel like Kendall's journey is probably the main focal point of the show, but it does get pretty blurred at times.
Strong and Cox are the only ones who get pushed Lead (I think). I think you could make an argument for Shiv/Snook being a lead too. But yeah pure ensemble would work as well.
Louis: What do you prefer between an actor always 'going for it' with the risk of abject failure in their performances (like Nicolas Cage), or rather being more consistent in their type to decent results (like Caine in the early 2000s).
Marcus: I don't think those two *have* to be mutually exclusive, but I'd rather take the former.
I saw Don’t Look Up. Definitely McKay’s best and most frustrating work, because it’s not a good movie but there’s clearly a great movie in there somewhere. In the hands of someone like Armando Iannucci this story could’ve been a knockout.
JLaw is MVP though DiCaprio is admittedly brilliant in THAT scene (I think he’ll be nominated for sure). Mark Rylance as Teddy Perkins as Elon Musk is the worst performance of the year, bar none. Rami Malek and Jared Leto’s turns this year look good in comparison.
I saw Don't Look Up, DiCaprio, Lawrence, Morgan and Lynskey are all good, the rest were poor (Rylance has left me heartbroken and not in a good way). I'm more or less in agreement with Calvin and Michael on this.
Disappointing to hear Rylance being underwhelming in something.
Louis: Thoughts on the cinematography of Gilda and The Lady From Shanghai?
Luke, who do you predict for the supporting lineups.
8000S: To be perfectly clear, he’s not “underwhelming,” he’s absolutely grotesque in all the wrong ways. As in, I think Calvin must have been in a generous mood to give him a 2.
Nominees
Smit-McPhee
Hinds
Leto
Bernthal
Simmons
Hope neither Rylance or Hill take the 5th spot.
(I'll go with 10, as the official lineup is good, not great on the whole with Smit-McPhee as Louis' clear choice)
Alternate
Kotsur
Leung
Affleck
Wright
Holland
LaPaglia
Okada
Wong
Faist/Alvarez
Dafoe/Jenkins
The thing about Rylance's character is that like, I'm all for us taking the piss out of that particular brand of idiotic narcissistic tech moguls but the way he went about doing it made me feel like he was mocking something else altogether which I won't get too much into but like...I don't know.
And I think I'm in the minority here but I I enjoyed Leto's performance.
Michael is right, a 2 is too generous, he should not have the same rating as Hill who while I didn't find very funny either, at least didn't go that far off the wrong end.
He's on my ballot either way, but Woody Norman in C'mon C'mon, lead or supportig, what do we think? I'm leaning towards supporting.
Matt: I was actually leaning towards co-lead. I felt that his own story in navigating his life was just as prevalent to the film's central plot as Phoenix's story was.
I have him in Supporting. The film never really leaves Phoenix's POV. He's borderline and he works in either category for me though so there really is no right or wrong answer.
Louis: Who do you think has the best chance of receiving the Dicaprio Oscar bump out of Rylance, Hill, and Morgan? Seems like they each a case.
Rylance - (Follow up nomination for a previous winner, though that didn't come into play for Chicago 7 either.)
Hill - (The Academy really liked him in the early 2010s, and one of those noms was for a film Dicaprio also led. Could happen again?)
Morgan - (Character actor whose profile is increasing. Welcome-to-the-club nom?)
(Netflix did push Cohen more for Chicago 7 though, plus he also had the positive notices for the Borat sequel).
Matt: I’d go co-lead myself, since the whole story hinges on him needing someone to care for him. It is a very borderline case though. Also I meant to say this earlier, when you first commented on the film here, but my favorite thing about C’mon C’mon as a film is how it portrays adults relating to children in a way that is totally non-condescending.
Bryan: I actually don’t think anyone from Don’t Look Up will be nominated in supporting acto (they’re all a liiiiiittle too weird I think) but honestly I kinda hope Rylance gets nominated so I can see how scathing his review is.
Never have I felt more like Tom Hanks when he loses Wilson on the raft in Castaway then after seeing West Side Story. "Spielberg! Spielberg!, I'm sorry, I'm sorry Spielberg, Spielberg, I'm sorry"
I genuinely am for having doubted him here with this project, because this was AMAZING, I greatly preferred it to the original actually, which I don't dislike, but I honestly kind of loved this. Every musical sequence was just filled with so much energy, vibrancy and emotion. This is Spielberg's best directing I think since probably the D-Day sequence in Saving Private Ryan. The shifts in songs use I thought were far more effective here, and the additions/changes by Kushner I felt were brilliant. I am genuinely, but pleasantly surprised here. I was wrong to doubt, this film was great.
Saving Faist and Alvarez.
Elgort - 3
Zegler - 4.5
DeBose - 4.5
Moreno - 4/4.5
James - 3
Stoll - 3
Rivera - 3.5
Tim:
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. Schindler's List
3. Saving Private Ryan
4. Munich
5. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
6. Fatal Attraction
7. Lincoln
8. Empire of the Sun
Tahmeed:
This season yes, lead in 2 though. I think one can say pure ensemble I think Kendall is the lead even if just.
Calvin:
Glad to see genuine diversity of thought in the choices.
Marcus:
Tahmeed summed it up nicely.
Matt:
Supporting though I wouldn't say a lead placement is ridiculous.
Bryan:
It is interesting in that I think if someone hates the film they'd probably go Morgan, but if someone loves the film's comedy they'd probably go Rylance. Therefore if someone gets in, I'd guess it's Rylance, since I don't see voters going out of their way to vote for a performance in a film they don't like. Without speaking to the performances in terms of my own opinion one way or another myself, the audience I was with was eating up both Hill and Rylance...so who knows.
Louis: How would you rank Spielberg's filmography now?
Do you prefer Moreno's performance in this over the original?
I also watched West Side Story today and i loved it. Liked it more than the original myself.
Letterboxd Review: https://boxd.it/2m6HpJ
Ansel Elgort - 2/2.5 (could go higher or lower depending on how much more I think of this performance)
Rachel Zegler - 4.5
Ariana DeBose - 4.5
David Alvarez - 4/4.5
Mike Faist - 3.5/4
Rita Moreno - 4/4.5
Corey Stoll - 3
Brian Darcy James - 3
Josh Andres Rivera - 3
Louis: Who would you say are the best examples of actors showing their full range in one particular film year?
My mind immediately goes to someone like Joe Pesci in 1990: He managed to be both intensely threatening and volatile in "Goodfellas", and somehow completely non-threatening and hilarious in "Home Alone".
Also, question for everyone here: What would be your thoughts on the following rock songs (I may have asked about some of them before, but I can't remember)?
Untraveled Road - Thousand Foot Krutch
World So Cold - Three Days Grace
Carnivore - Starset
Drown In You - Daughtry
My Name (Wearing Me Out) - Shinedown
After sleeping on it, I think Faist is going to be my Supporting Actor win.
Calvin: That's my logic too.
Michael: I was very worried about that when I first figured out what they were doing with the kid, but it was handled beautifully.
Mitchell: I've been more focused on music than movies out of lately, so I'll take a stab...
- (Untraveled Road - TFK): Pretty nice, but what I find really distracting is how it sounds like a Linkin Park song through and through. Still, I would've dug it on Hybrid Theory/Meteora too.
- (World So Cold - 3DG): Solid 3DG all around. I think it's alright, but if there are any deep cuts from Life Starts Now that really fit my sensibilities, that'd be "Someone Who Cares"
- (Carnivore - Starset): Hell of a throwback here, Mitch. I fucked with this song quite a bit when getting into alt-rock/metal on late middle school. I dig the string arrangements and enjoy the driving melody and synths throughout the entire song. The lyrics are a bit cheesy, but they're my kind of cheese. I have a soft spot for this song.
- (Drown in You - Daughtry): Alt-rock hit 101, but one with quite the punchy chorus. I mostly dig it for that alone. Nice vocals too.
- (My Name - Shinedown): The lyrics are very cheesy, but the opening riff is intense enough to keep me around. The song also keeps a brisk enough pace to not overstay its welcome. Don't love it, but don't mind it either.
Louis: Thoughts on the cast.
Louis: If you've seen it, your thoughts on the Succession season finale, overall thoughts on the season, and cast ranking.
Louis: Thoughts on the Globe nominations.
I know everyone will not give the HFPA the time of day but any observations at all.
*Looks up Globes nominations*
*Sees that Denis got nominated for Best Director*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsT2g3Xmfak
Mitchell:
Untraveled Road - I'm not the biggest fan of speak-singing, and that takes up a waaaayyy to big part in this for me. I dug the chorus though.
World So Cold - standart TDG; good, but not my favorite of theirs. I personally prefer the 12 Strong song of the same name
Carnivore - liked it a lot. I dislike how he sometimes went into that high head voice in the chorus, otherwise it slaps
Drown In You - what Emi said
My Name -Gods, I'd go gay for that voice. Anyway, yeah, will not go down as my favorite lyrics either, but the melody is great enough that I'm still more than positive on it
Anonymous: so ... is that positive or not?
I am okay with it, just didn't expect it in a million years.
Louis: Thoughts on the Fantastic Beasts trailer.
Cannot express how much I dislike those Critics Choice nominations, especially with the complete snubbing of Passing and the absence of any foreign language rep in the directing, acting or screenplay categories.
Louis: And thoughts on critics choice.
So, I just saw the golden globe nominations, and my thoughts are a bit mixed. I love that The Power Of The Dog and Dune got so many nominations, as they are some of my favorites of the year, but ... How did Don't Look Up get 4 nominations while The Worst Person In The World wasn't even nominated for foreign language film? How did that happen?
Luke:
Regarding Globes and Critics, which the latter never really matters, and the former I think lost a ton of their influence, however they do give you a very generalized temperature check. Although really even most of precursors with Academy overlap have lost some of that quality SAG after the merger and now BAFTA (For the acting and directing races) due to the Jury process. DGA, PGA and like ASC (because it has limited categories unlike the sound, production design), are the only ones I'd put that much stock in at this point.
Anyways...
The Biggest Misses prediction wise: Nightmare Alley in any acting category particularly Cooper (though my prediction of him is that he will be the last minute nominee).
Biggest Gets prediction wise: Nicolas Cage (even if it is just a critics choice), Mahershala Ali/Javier Bardem (even if it is just a Globe). However it puts the three on any kind of a map. And suggests Troy Kutsur is not just a pipe dream. The Lost Daughter making such a splash.
Quality wise: Definite mixed bag, things I like things I don't. I do think the Globes focused on trying to avoid any "Music" type nominations this year, that is something that isn't even considered in contention that is terrible. Although I do have to side-eye Cotillard for Annette, as I question if they actually watched the film (I mean given that the problem I speak of is related to the size of the role not the quality...which is also very limited by the size and nature of the part.)
Having said that I will not be changing anything from my Oscar predictions based on either set of nominations.
Calvin:
I have no desire to defend Critics Choice, which is a lame group who really just wants to be first and as predictive as possible, however I think when it comes to recognition of non-American(non British) films, it is best to be excited for a nice surprise, however never to count on it. And to be fair, it is not as though film awards outside of the US and Britain frequently nominate anything western in fact it is sometimes in banned in their rules.
Louis: That’s fair, I get your point, after all Vinterberg didn’t get anything major until BAFTA last year. We’ll see. I guess it’s just more annoying when I see critics groups around the US choose inspired international choices so it feels weird that there aren’t at least a few which will translate.
Negga being snubbed is fairly annoying to me but that’s just a personal thing. I’m glad Kotsur could potentially be a thing.
Aidan:
Let me stew just a bit more on West Side.
Anonymous:
When I probably gave the rating for her last, was probably 20 years, don't know what she was last time, but currently she's a 4.5 for me, so no.
Mitchell:
John C. Reilly (Chicago, Gangs of New York)
Alec Guinness (Cromwell, Scrooge or The Ladykillers/The Prisoner)
Claude Rains (1942)
Boris Karloff (The Criminal Code/Frankenstein or Bride of Frankenstein/The Black Room)
Laurence Olivier (The Entertainer/Spartacus)
Richard Attenborough (Guns at Batasi/Seance on a Wet Afternoon)
Tahmeed:
Extraordinary finale in every regard. I mean again combination of being just tremendous in terms of the turns of the plot which were effortlessly compelling as always, with a truly dynamite ending that left me only wanting more, fantastic though in every interaction big or small, whether it be Connor making his point, the siblings finally bonding again, or that ending that felt like Cox was finally fully unleashed in this episode, and honestly holding back in the way made this all the more powerful. Have to say, not sure on MVP of the episode as I thought Strong was great, Culkin, Snook and Ruck their best work in the series, and though less focused here Braun and MacFadyen fantastic as per usual. If I had to choose Culkin (as the episode shot him up the final ranking for me) but it is close.
1. Jeremy Strong
2. Matthew MacFadyen
3. Kieran Culkin
4. Sarah Snook
5. Brian Cox
6. Nicholas Braun
7. Alan Ruck
8. Harriet Walter
9. J Smith-Cameron
10. Peter Friedman
11. James Cromwell
12. Justine Lupe
13. David Rasche
14. Andrien Brody
15. Fisher Stevens
16. Arian Moayed
17. Natalie Gold
18. Annabelle Dexter-Jones
19. Peter Riegert
20. Alexander Skarsgard
21. Dagmara Dominczyk
22. Dasha Nekrasova
23. Hope Davis
24. Pip Torrens
25. Sanaa Lathan
26. Juliana Canfield
27. Zoe Winters
28. Larry Winters
29. Hiam Abbass
30. Jihae
Louis, any thoughts on the West Side Story cast.
Luke:
Elgort - (I think the criticism of his performance is a bit overblown, though I think the casting of Tony as this fresh face, done in both versions, is a little curious. I think really the part wants a Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront type, where it is a "pretty boy" but with this dramatic depth and edge about them, which honestly is harder to find in the musical theater. Having said that, I really don't think he's terrible, he's at his worst in the last scenes where he doesn't really carry the anguish. Still I thought he managed to be mildly charming here. He's still not this source of charisma that casting directors seem to think he is, but I largely didn't mind him here. He does his Baby Driver thing, which I think is the only way he can be decent, which leaves him a little loss in the most dramatic moments, but again I think anyone seeing him as film ruining is being a bit hyperbolic to say the least. Besides Tony is a bit of a non Scrooge Dickens style lead, in that everyone else is more interesting, and it works anyways.)
Zegler - (Although to immediately back peddle, Maria is a limited role that relies very heavily on the performer to make it work, and boy does Zegler do that. She is just so powerfully, and beautifully luminous here. Her singing is fantastic, but so is the performance that goes with every moment of that. I think what she does so beautifully really is act within every moment of it, and even every moment of not singing. In that even the scene of her prepping her room to fake having slept normally, is made something special by the way she performs it with so much character even though Maria's main point is as this beautiful innocent. She is simply just wonderful to watch and hear here. Having said that as well though, she absolutely does deliver in the final moments, the immediate power of the heartbreak and the intensity of her anguished anger.)
De Bose - (Yes indeed the star role in a way, but just like any actor playing Hamlet, you do need to deliver the good even if you have the great role. Boy does De Bose deliver in every respect. Her performance just overwhelming in the level of charisma and the splendor really of her in every moment. De Bose just brightens up the screen in a fantastic way that is similar to Zegler, but also so distinctly different in being Anita's particular manner. Her "In America" is just a knockout performance in every respect whether it be her singing, dancing or acting. It is pure triumph. Of course she is equally great in the final moments of portraying her twisting emotions that she just excels with in delivering the dramatic turns with such ease yet with such potency and power.)
Moreno - (Of course I do have to ask where are my Twin Peaks boys??? Okay, I really didn't need them to be in the movie, since here with Moreno they wholly avoided making this feel like a gimmick cameo, and the changes I actually think were pretty brilliant in touching on some other ideas and themes. She of course brings the right maternal warmth here in the same way doc should have as the fatherly warmth. She though just really brings a spark, not unlike her original performance, that simply is wonderful. She's fantastic though as well in delivering the moment of despairing news, and delivering still such an intensity in the moment of calling out the Jets for what they are. Great work that was a genius choice.)
James & Stoll - (Both bring the right variation on the comedic to more questionably brutal bit of being overwhelmed or completely out of touch in handling the situation.)
Rivera - (One of the biggest improvements has to be Chino being an actual character here, where he's basically a non-entity until the ending of the film. Rivera I think does a fine job of portraying the gradual shift, almost entirely silent, from kind of the out of his depth nerd to the dangerous wannabe gangster.)
Michael:
Agree about Iannucci making it work, or perhaps McKay should've let Jesse Armstrong do a pass on the script honestly.
I agree complete on Chino, not only did it give more weight to that aspect of the storyline but it also gives Bernardo a lot more depth, and a nice sort of counterpoint to Tony/Riff. Probably the best thing Kushner does with the screenplay.
I definitely stand by Elgort being bad but also can agree it's not overly detrimental to the film just because he's always sharing the screen with someone who helps lift it.
Luke:
Fantastic Beasts looks super bland to be honest (particularly the "team" there aside from Fogler), though hopefully it isn't a structural mess this time around with Kloves on the writing team now.
Have to admit even taking the foreign language angle out of the picture, those Critics Choice awards still give a bad temperature. Just as a B&W comparison, Branagh’s direction is simply nothing near what Hall, Coen, Anderson or even Mike Mills.
Calvin:
Personally I'm more upset how he didn't write the family as super horny all the time.
Sorry Calvin...Apologies for the snark.
Touché and we’ll played, Louis. I’m just letting off the food ‘ol awards season steam.
Calvin:
Well steam away of course, as I'm glad even when we disagree or are disappointed we can always do it in a civil way here.
thoughts on these Casts for Palm Springs?
1980s Directed by Rob Reiner
Niles: Billy Crystal
Sarah: Meg Ryan
Roy: Charles Bronson
1990s Directed by John Turtletaub
Niles: Matthew McConaughey
Sarah: Sandra Bullock
Roy: Robert de Niro
2000s Directed by Nancy Meyers
Niles: Jude Law
Sarah: Anne Hathaway
Roy: Mickey Rourke
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