Also, I re-watched Blackberry in theaters and I gotta say, I kinda hate how low it's going under the radar currently. It should be getting nods for Original Screenplay left and right at least.
Looks like an interesting line up...of which I haven't seen any of these performances, sadly.
Also, random note...
I'm sure many of us remember Rebecca Hall's 2021 film "Passing". I've been rewatching some clips from "Findiny Your Roots", and she appeared in an episode. It was there I learned her maternal grandfather was of black heritage, even though he tried to pass as native american. Once more, her great grandfather was born into slavery in 1858, but then went on to meet President Grant and work at the US Treasury.
I just thought that was worth sharing, because knowing that info certainly explains why Hall wanted to make that film.
I've never watched a full episode of Brookyln Nine Nine, every clip I have seen on YouTube, my god does he own the part, literally dominates his scenes.
As a fellow Scotsman, I think my main respect for Craig Ferguson was his alcoholism and up front admission of it, as someone who did a Mads Mikkelsen in Another Round back in the late 2010s and shockingly got away with it, ye I can respect a talk show host for being so up front about it all.
Is there a possibility that the two leads of Philadelphia get a re-eval during the recommendations period? I rewatched the film and ended up really loving the choices made by both Hanks and Washington, though I have to dock the former a bit for that awful opera scene (not his fault really but does hold him back for me a bit).
RatedRStar: I echo that sentiment on Ferguson. He's been rather open about his personal troubles, and I admire that sort of blunt honesty in people. I also find his interviewing style, in general, to be quite entertaining and distinctly scottish (which I am by heritage, hence my last name).
Luke: I am definitely taking Supporting Actor seriously, the last two years, JK Simmons, Judd Hirsch and Brian Tyree Henry only got one major nom before the Oscars. The critics choice award.
Matt: No, but neither was King Richard, and that got nominated as well. The Academy goes for crowd-pleasing movies a lot with the expanded BP category.
Everyone: Maybe this has been asked before, but what would be everyone's casting choices for a modern day "A Few Good Men"? I was thinking Vanessa Kirby in Moore's role, and maybe Nicholas Hoult in Bacon's.
Kaffee and Jessup would be crucial to get right; the young, brash lieutenant and the steely, prideful colonel. For the latter, it also might be a good idea to cast someone who doesn't typically play antagonists, thereby making his true nature less obvious.
Also...who would've been a better replacement for Nicholson's original turn? My big issue with that performance is EVERYONE talks about his big scene/speech, but I don't hear anyone talking about the rest of his work. He simply isn't that memorable until the very end.
Mitchell: I actually think Nicholson's great, even though the role was written for someone younger. His scene with Walsh near the beginning is exactly the right level of smarm and pettiness the role needed in terms of personality. I actually like that he makes Jessup as just a dick. Sometimes less complex is better.
Also, if we're talking modern: John Boyega as Kaffee and (since the role WAS meant for someone younger) Dan Stevens as Jessup.
Bryan and Matt: Because of that, we should probably look out for Viola Davis at SAG.
Mitchell: I think Rhea Seehorn would work as Galloway.
Regarding Ferguson, what was interesting to me about him was that he never seemed like he was phoning a conversation in. He could interview the most boring guest and still try to make it as entertaining as possible.
Pretty much in agreement with everyone on Boy and the Heron, as for the voice performances, Masaki Suda's was absolutely spectacular work but just in general really strong work across the board.
Just thought of a supporting performance you could review for backlogs: Pat Hingle in Splendor in the Grass. Feel like that's an easy 4.5/5 on revisit.
Yeun & Wong - (Hard for me to really separate them as they are equally great and equally necessary in terms of the success of the series. Yeun continues to show his considerable range here in playing now the biggest screw up possible, who is just a mess, that is too far a cry from his other greatest performances of Burning, and Minari. Beef sitting nicely with those two in showing just a tremendous performer. Here Yeun is great in just being the emotional mess in every way possible, and just playing into the man who basically is looking for an excuse for his situation in his anger or annoyance by others. Yeun setting up as the man who's only outlet that isn't self-loathing is the loathing of others. Wong on the other hand is equally great in playing the "higher" status of her character who is as defined by her extreme self-loathing in her existence. Her performance has a similar though more refined intensity that creates a great sense of the repression of her character. Where they both excel together is the way that both of them are entirely convincing in this opening state, in a way that is wholly convincing of the emotion but manages to be naturally funny in just playing into how extreme of an emotion it is. It isn't some simple trick given you believe them as people while also finding it very easy to laugh at their antics. Where their performances go though is what makes the series so great because of how consistently surprising each of them are, yet how natural they are in every big swing. Each goes to the darkest place of Yeun presenting his most pathetic impulses in every sense, against Wong portraying the most extreme forms of pettiness. However the truly brilliant trick of the whole thing is that as bad of people as both express them to be, they do make you care about each of them by always showing the very real vulnerabilities within all of their behaviors. And what is great about both their performances is when they hit these moments because they are tremendous, don't feel forced, and in a way that often despicable manner of the characters makes all of this feel more palatable. And what both of them do in the final two episodes is extraordinary work. The final episode in particular works because of their performances because their performances earn the moments of the emotional rock bottom, that is still funny at times, but also the moments of real empathy that feel so particularly powerful because you felt just how hard it was to get to them for each character through the performances.)
Mazino & Lee - (I put both in a similar box because they have similar trajectory. Both seem fairly simplistic "lunks"/"hunks", and what both show is that each guy is more than that. For me Mazino's exploration of the more of his character left the greater impact for me on the whole, where it kind of goes from the thin seemingly screwup brother who is constantly fighting with his true screwup brother, to revealing really how much is going on with him. Lee's work I feel is a bit thinner in the thin phase, as he's kind of the bland husband, though that is also the point. And I do think he's effective though as he brings more depth to the character, to show the expressions of the character there is more to him. Each thought is effective in kind of being at first the image created by Wong and Yeun's characters and then showing there is more to them over time.)
Min - (Relatively short performance in the scheme of the series. however found him very effective within his relatively brief screen time, in I think in some ways doing more with sort of the expected characterization of the intensely religious man, where Min brings the matching sort of conviction about that, which is just a bit too much though in the right way. He then naturally segues within his performance to really all that makes his character too far less than perfect, and is quite effective in showing the desperation not as an immediate change from his other manner, rather a thing that is kind of seething outside of his former facade.)
Choe - (I quite enjoyed his performance where I think he managed to find the right blend between being a comedic oaf, though with enough of an actual unpredictable menace within his rather oafish qualities. Bringing within his performance this kind of oddity of this strange good nature at times, that is mixed in with his haplessness and even violence, that he delivers always as casually, which brings the right sense of someone with even less to lose presenting himself as just a man who basically does whatever whenever.)
Bello - (I don't think I'd go as far as nominating her, as I think she is reasonably fine, though very much overshadowed, in portraying the fairly superficial, though intentionally so, of the vapid rich woman. Although I think what she does do well is find some natural variation within the moments of sort of the constant smile that at times denotes different things, such as the moments where that smile suddenly carries a certain hostility that is fairly effective.)
Park - (More so the role, as I thought she was entirely serviceable overall, but didn't think she made much of an impact in either direction.)
Santino - (Even within the comedic henchmen I thought he went too far, without being funny.)
I'd say just behind Burning.
A hilarious scene as is many a Captain Holt scenes, and while I didn't keep up with the series past a few initial episodes when it first came out, I did enjoy Braugher completely, to the point of coming back occasionally to watch random compilations, where Braugher's sort of pitch perfect blend of dead pan, straight man, but also somehow completely absurd at the same time. A great example of such as the whole concept of the long con is absurd, but Braugher delivers it all with such smooth conviction.
Marcus:
The success of the final two episodes is what makes it a great series, because building everything together only works if you actually pull it off, which Beef does. Both episodes I think kind of represent two different styles of resolution, and in a way the series brilliantly has it both ways. The second to last episode is the "everything at the wall" kind of climax, where you have kidnapping, gunfights, actions and really the most extreme moments possible involving almost all the characters in some way. It completely succeeds as such in just upping the ante each time, and sort of creating the explosion by having all the fringe elements of both protagonists slam against each other as a beautiful mess of insanity, that is funny, that is tense and takes each of them to an extreme where the Beef goes to the max. The last episode though is the polar opposite of the smallest version of the ending, of just our two protagonists talking it out, where we see the process as intimately as possible, and really built not on big sequences, rather just the two actors talking to each other. And this version of the ending is even greater than the complete insanity version, which was also great, because it genuinely earns the whole hashing out of everything in a way that is natural, captivating and still funny, and effortlessly realized by both actors.
Tony:
Ferguson's great at being so direct and disarming with his conversations. He's great at genuine rapport, but he's also great at knowing how to actually be funny in the conversations without seeming to make the interviews all about himself.
Lipton was great at just going extremely in depth to the point of surprising many of his guests with some of his pulls from their history. And while I understand the criticism some have for him of seeming too laudatory to his guests, I think that's not really looking at the show's intention properly.
A brilliant review that properly sums up the film I think without at all being a traditional review, but creates really the feeling of the film. And I would say in some way accurately states therefore really how one responds to the film will be completely personal, and there is no way to determine how another will respond to it.
8000's:
I mean both have quietly beautiful voices that have a very gentle quality to them.
Kuga - (She's good in her scene, albeit fairly brief work, but she instantly conveys the relationship with both her father and her father's friend in a silent instance. And has a nice practical manner in her performance that speaks much quickly.)
Tahmeed:
Probably 4.5, although I would say there are different levels of emotionally detached I would say.
Ytrewq:
Eh...not quite seeing any new ground with this one.
Matt:
I wouldn't qualify it as great so far, but certainly is overall entertaining I would say.
Anonymous:
Production Design:
1. The Sign of the Cross 2. Wooden Crosses 3. The Blood of a Poet 4. Freaks 5. The Mummy
Costume Design:
1. The Sign of the Cross 2. Freaks 3. Shanghai Express 4. The Mummy 5. Island of Lost Souls
Makeup & Hairstyling:
1. The Mummy 2. Island of Lost Souls 3. The Blood of a Poet 4. Freaks 5. The Old Dark House
VFX:
1. The Blood of a Poet 2. Love Me Tonight 3. Poil de Carotte 4. The Mummy 5. Wooden Crosses
My biggest gripe with the trailer is not just the lack of Furious 5, but also how Tai Lung is about to return (and apparently get thrashed) and the villain seems like a rehash of Kai from the third installment. It all feels like something a MCU writer would do.
Bill Hartford: Tatsuya Nakadai Alice Hartford: Yoko Tsukasa Victor Ziegler: Masayuki Mori Nick Nightingale: Mikijiro Hira Mysterious woman: Machiko Kyo
Zada - 4(A performance where I do feel like I would need a followup to fully judge, as like Driver in Paterson there is that certain strangely intriguing way of being so unemotional and straightforward, however I wouldn't say quite as intriguing as Driver in Paterson, I also don't quite have the proof that this is entirely due to performance driven, unlike Driver where I had other performances to go off of. Regardless though her performance works in its very micro expressions at times, and just a general sort of state of someone kind of purposefully detached from his reality.)
Turkington - 4(As the psychiatrist more interested in White Fang than anyone has ever been, I enjoyed his certain blend within his performance between this kind of extreme sincerity about it, but also the slightly comical quality within that sincerity. A surprisingly effective blend between being a subversion of a thing, while also being the thing, as it is funny how emotional he gets in moments, but it also is moving in how it seems genuine all the same.)
White - 3.5(Although way less screen time to work with, but a much better part than he was dealing with Nails. A very quietly charming performance from him, where he brings this underlying vulnerability in a very effective way to disarm while also bringing a sincerity within the character's romantic overtures.)
Tahmeed:
Great end to the episode through the use of slow motion along with the song with the biggest dumbest smile on Yeun's face, against the sheer hate on Wong's, and the reading of the license plate again to show that this is far from over.
Amazing acting more than anything from Yeun in the scene, but also such a great moment in terms of revealing the vulnerability of the character in showing how much pain is in the character that even the notion that there's anything other than his terrible existence can release essentially an onslaught of emotions within him.
Again great acting by Yeun in the moment, but just beautifully written in the moment of Danny finally being completely honest, by admitting the very worst to his brother. And finally doing the right thing for his brother by admitting how much he's done wrong to him, especially the confessional way he admits to throwing away his college applications as someone who is finally releasing all his guilt in the moment.
Yeun would probably be my #3. Wong would be my #1.
Clint Eastwood Dustin Hoffman John Goodman Robin Williams Jack Lemmon
Ferguson:
Any Michael Sheen Robin Williams Ellen Barkin Kristin Bell Ewan McGregor
Luke:
Newton - 3.5(Her vocal performance isn't the problem, she does do more or less an accurate approximation, to the point one ponders why they recast at all. But she's a good actress and does her part, even if I am against the notion of the recast, particularly the claimed reason.)
Levi - 3(Well I am much more understanding of this recasting, I would say there is a bit more of an oomph within Gibson's naturally deeper voice in comparison, but Levi does indeed do a fine job of bringing a similar extreme sort of "head first" kind of enthusiasm.)
Richardson - 3(With all the buildup, I will say they really didn't do all much with her character, and she doesn't go nuts in really the same way this time around. She still delivers on her end to be sure, but there could've been for her to deliver on.)
8000's:
Although Mifune isn't the first I would think of as Booth physically, he would go for it and that's what you need more than anything. And I can get behind the right though I might go Mori instead for Ben, nothing against Nakadai obviously, but I think you need someone a bit older there.
Eyes Wide Shut, they most definitely all work there, particularly Teshigahara as the director. Though given he's the director I think you'd have Okada as Ziegler however.
Anonymous:
I mean the kind of direction that is all about the direction, and if the completely insane imagery can in some way be compelling, where this is an instance one may interpret, however one has to interpret to decipher more specific meaning as that narration will not help you. However Cocteau's visual imagination here is more than enough, with really every aspect within film to craft one of a kind series of images that remain consistently fascinating.
Jonathan Williams:
See....I don't know if it was deleted. I know that's the official story, but I was in the theater in 1992. I saw it twice in fact. And I remember the song, or at least perhaps I should say, I don't remember the absurdly awkward cut that exists in the version of the film without the song. But regardless of the truth, a horrible cut in any instance because there's not enough to the scene alone to have the sudden shift to the emotion. Worse, it removes the connection between this song and the ending song of the "Love is Found". But worst of all, it is some of Caine's best work as Scrooge, and most essential in terms of his emotional transformation in the moment of the pseudo duet then Scrooge's breakdown that shows really how much the moment impacts him. Also just in itself, incredibly moving depiction of Scrooge's losses, just in Caine's slowly breaking in the moment to just being left with his despair.
1. "Dying" together 2. Confessing the truth to Paul 3. Danny's breakdown in Church 4. Yelling at each other from a distance 5. Ending 6. Inciting Incident 7. "The reason" 8. Dream house burning/Burger King 9. Rage together at another driver 10. "Amazing Grace"
With Poor Things one can only say it is delightful,that's amazing and how are the pastries so crispy? That is to say I adored every inch of the mad beast of a film it is, where it skewers the entire human race, while also simultaneously having a surprisingly strong affection for it all the same. Brought to life as a one of a kind visual feast, that quite frankly has some of the greatest production design (no qualifier needed), but every technical aspect is a marvel. But that might not be enough, but I love the hilarity of it, that managed to blend it with genuine characters I can care for or at the very least be fascinated with endlessly, despite all their flaws and intense idiosyncrasies. A film I genuinely did not know where it was going, but was there for the ride, in every bit of its splendour and grotesquery.
Glad you loved Poor Things so much, and completely agree on the production design. I loved the Schygulla surprise too - which in turn indicates some of the intriguing parallels the film has to Maria Braun.
I'd probably go higher on Carmichael, and Youssef and Hunter would be 4.5's for me, but otherwise completely agree - and love the Pepperdine (who does get one of the funniest line deliveries in the film).
Huller - (Her performance more or less is the film in terms of creating the more important emotional intensity within the film. Where her performance is consistently honest I think in creating just the experience of this person in this situation, creating the right sense of the experience per scene. From the opening scene where she brings the charisma of the known author though mixed in with the quiet almost laughing frustrations as connected to the initial relationship with her husband. She's then very effective in terms of playing the victim of seeming circumstance, but "playing" the victim. And while I don't think this really denotes guilt or not, rather Huller effectively instead presents it as someone who is trying to hide the things that could make her look guilty rather than being truly guilty. And she brings the right sort of quiet frustration within the sense of a withdrawn way of explaining any element of the situation as kind of trying to make it the most immediate and easy answer. As the film progresses, she lets go of that under scrutiny, again Huller doesn't play it as being "caught" but rather someone who is opening up just very challenging and intimate emotional information in a rather rough and often uncaring situation. Her performance then becomes this powerful though still subdued release of emotion that I think is paired with it such a rich sense of the history of the relationship as she unravels it. Huller always though I think remaining guarding, and leeking it out as matters of needing to admit the truth and deal with it as such. Bringing the underlying pain in every moment of opening up to what is really going on with every element of her life. That's except for the major flashback scene, where she is great in basically showing the intensity of the pain within the relationship and completely showing it for the fraught wound it was in that moment. Her performance beautifully articulates the best aspect of the film, which isn't whether or not she did it (I think technically the film fails in that respect), but rather creating the sense of uncovering the mystery of how this relationship would leave to a death.)
Arlaud - (A good if somewhat expected defense attorney style performance, but he plays the expected notes well. I also did like his overall chemistry with Huller that had enough of an air of ambiguity in terms of the moments of his analysis with the moments of sort of being as much a friend in certain moments. Those moments that I think it would be easier to dislike, but I found his and Huller's chemistry worked as such that they were earned, and thankfully not overdone by the end.)
Reinartz - (Perhaps the most ridiculous character in terms of his arguments, though evidently objections are not a thing in French courts, which explains some of this. Regardless of how good of arguments his character has, I did find his hectoring tone was effective in playing the different variations of the man trying to paint her in the worst possible light, and accentuate the negative whenever he could.)
Theis - (Essentially a two scene performance, the first being the big fight, where he gives as good as Huller does in showing just how damaged the relationship is, with Theis bringing an even more intense distress and vulnerability in every moment of the interaction. I was actually though more impressed by his final scene, despite not verbally getting to portray the part, however every facial expression of his was wonderful as he was able to convey the sense of warmth for his son, while also conveying within the very intense degree of sadness and despair just behind it, though mixed in with this strange kind of hopeful care of making sure his son will be okay with the loss eventually.)
I'll actually move Machado-Graner over to saves.
Keoghan *could* get nominated, it's a big long shot but it could happen, as indicated by his Globe nod.
Elordi - (He gives a charismatic performance that naturally approaches every scene even within the type, in a convening way. The problem is the character is no Dickie Greenleaf, because the character really doesn't want anything in particular or need anything in particular, nor does it explore that idea either. He's just kind of the notion of the rich hunk, who everyone either wants or wants to be around. As such he delivers that charisma well, and even the fairly straightforward discontent in his character, that are naturally realized just as someone should be towards someone who is constantly lying. Again though his work is in service of a shallow part unfortunately.)
Pike - (Reading some snippets of the early word on her performance, I thought we were going to get a Weisz in The Favourite style performance, unfortunately that requires actually witty dialogue, and Tony Richardson was too busy writing Poor Things and The Great. Instead Pike's working again with a very weak role, as her character's only kind of catty, and then her sudden fixation on Oliver comes out of nowhere in terms of being a convincing progression beyond, "Oh he agreed with her two times!". Man do I hate this movie the more I think about it...anyway, I actually could go lower, because Pike is perfectly serviceable at doing dismissive regalness, but there isn't anything overly biting about her work either. Like Elordi she brings the setup but then Fennel doesn't really send her in any directions.)
Madekwe - (The most overused and underwritten character I've seen in some time, as he will not stop showing up, in order to repeat the same line with the same smug delivery of "you don't belong". Again just a terrible character, made worse though because I think unlike some of the others who I do think were trying to find something to work with, he just is content in the shallow note played as obnoxiously as possible.)
Oliver - (Her character is another inconsistent character, as is she the manipulative type, is she one to be manipulated, is she some sort of nymphet, Oliver to her credit is whatever she needs to be in a given scene even though there is no consistency whatsoever with how she is written, including her last scene, which is her best scene, which again I don't think is naturally earned however her intensity in the grief, anger and bitterness is well realized if also inconsistent.)
Grant - (Truly has almost nothing to work with, but I do like his presence as per usual. His one final scene with Keoghan is good, if undercooked in the writing once again, as it seems like there should've been more throughout in terms of an actual conflict there.)
Calvin:
Yeah for me Richardson/Lanthimos is a match made in heaven (though the content of their films may require a different metaphor.)
Youssef and Hunter could go up on re-watch for me.
Tahmeed:
Pepperdine - (A few expertly laid one liners and reaction shots, that are rather hilarious. Certainly rarely the focus but her quick additions are most welcome.)
Schygulla - (Didn't know she was in this so I quite enjoyed her surprise appearance, loved though the amount of seasoned warmth she brought in her performance, in bringing someone who truly didn't expect anything from Bella and just essentially cheers her on through her own fairly optimistic disposition contrasting her companion. Lovely work that is filled with a sense of life that is rather winning as someone who is wholly positive within the journey.)
Hunter - (An expected bit of grotesquery in a way, but beautifully done regardless. With her ability to manage to be disarming yet dangerous in equal measure, with this most unpleasant sense of agreeability with a kind of vicious quality that is almost animalistic in the specifics of her "lusty" moments.)
Qualley - (Not a bad understudy performance, if naturally a bit overshadowed.)
Carmichael - (I don't know now with both this and On the Count of Three, there is something a little flat about his performances at times, and not that I think it derails anything, I don't quite buy it fully as just from the character. To me there is a bit of stand up comedian not quite fully being convincing as an actor. I still think his performance works, I do also think there's some obvious limitations and I do think another performer would've been able to make a bigger impact in the role for me.)
Abbott - (I'll just say I thought he successfully made the right impression twice, fairly memorably, especially the second time, in quite short order, bringing his typical "just go for it" quality in his performance...which he does so.)
Youssef - (His performance in the first third is a wonderful straight man performance, as so many of the best jokes are facilitated through his reactions which are often hilarious in just quite simply being a completely normal reaction to some of the insanity he witnesses. Otherwise I think he finds the right specific tone with his performance in managing to balance those moments of being completely surprised, baffled or horrified by something, with some genuine humanity in certain moments of his observations. Creating a strong enough sense of the character's care beneath the observations, particularly later on bringing an elegant warmth that comes in at just the right moment.)
Well I wouldn't consider myself a fan per se, certainly think she's talented.
Well Jenna Ortega, however if she can't sing, Anya Taylor-Joy who while she has Argentinian background rather than Mexican, however she can sing and also importantly also has the eyes.
Bryan:
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Chicken Run Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Made a trip up to New York last week and was able to see three movies that I enjoyed to varying degrees.
Fallen Leaves is a sweet little romance that manages to treat the personal hardships of its leads with sensitivity without undercutting the film’s pleasantly quirky tone and making the whole thing too heavy. The leads have a lowkey charming chemistry that makes it easy to root for them to overcome the mishaps and misunderstandings they’re faced with throughout the story.
Pöysti: 4.5 Vatanen: 4 Hyytiäinen: 3.5 Alma: 5
American Fiction was actually kind of misleading from the trailers alone, as the story of Monk’s family collectively processing grief and unresolved trauma arguably has just as much focus in the film as the story of the joke novel becoming an international phenomenon. That doesn’t harm the film per se, as I thought both stories had something worthwhile to say and were both important in developing the character of Monk as a man who’s stubborn resistance to being put in any sort of box leads him to having difficulty relating to anyone, though I maybe wish the satire had been the “A story” as what was there was wonderfully entertaining and I would have loved to see that be developed even more. Cast is very strong overall, with Wright of course being the standout.
Big shoutout to Keith David and Okieriete Onaodowan who absolutely understood the assignment in very brief roles.
Wonka was really just a joy from beginning to end. Captures so much of the earnestness and magic that made the original so special, from the musical numbers which are surprisingly well-written and even better performed, to the characteristically zany creative processes behind each of Wonka’s chocolates, to the endlessly unique and beautiful production design and and hair and makeup work. The cast is having an absolute blast no matter how small their role, and I ended up not caring at all about its status as a prequel/origin story and just enjoying and investing in the story on its own merits. My one issue was with the storyline surrounding the Chief of Police, we really need to not be making comedy that relies on fat suits and overeating as a plot point anymore. But overall I think anyone who enjoys the Paddington movies will be won over by this one too.
Chalamet: 4 Lane: 3.5 Colman: 4 Davis: 3.5 Carter: 3.5 Thakrar, Rothwell & Fulcher: 3 Key: 3/3.5 Joseph: 4.5 (just realizing in this moment that he was the cast MVP for me, just a perfect example of a proper mustache-twirling villain.) Lucas & Batynton: 3.5 Atkinson: 3
Mulligan - (I can't help but feel her turning down the Pike role, might've said something about the script early on as she's in and out quick. I think she's entirely fine in playing the human mess, but again, her note is brief too brief and not really explored. She does what she can, but it's an idea that isn't given proper weight.)
Ando - 4.5(What holds the film together, just mainly because she's an innately compelling performer much of the time, and her work often chooses a different choice than you might expect. She comes at each scene a bit differently and does create this certain chaos at times, even as it's mixed in with this innate sort of type of kind of empathy. However she's always a bit more wily than that, and is always coming in a different way, that does make her character a bit more fascinating than I think she might've been otherwise.)
#8
Marcus:
Well, I'll just say for the moment, since I really need to get into spoilers to really dive into details, that it's perfection for me, in every sense, and in a role that frankly is entirely a highwire act, where it would be easy to fail in so many ways, however Stone not only avoids any pitfalls, she glides through the entirety of it. She's captivating every second she's onscreen, hilarious in every attempt to be so, physically and emotionally takes the riskiest choices that always pay off, and makes every single development and change, both pointed and strangely natural (which is quite the feat in itself all things considered). To say I loved her performance is an understatement.
Well it is more accessible than his other films other than the Favorite (which in my view was because the style got in the way of the story, and the characters, rather than amplifying them as is the case here and The Favorite). But in terms of content it's much more explicit than The Favorite, which is definitely saying something.
Anonymous:
Quite a few still at this point including but not limited to: Zone of Interest, Perfect Days, The Iron Claw, American Fiction, Fallen Leaves, All of Us Strangers.
Louis: Is Kore-eda's Monster by any chance on that list? I'd be interested to see your thoughts on Eija Nagajama and Soya Kurokawa.
I'm aware I'm biased because I've been rambling about it like a lunatic on LB for the past 2 weeks, but I *really* want to see what the consensus on it ends up being in this blog.
Louis: I’ve seen Monster, and I think that’s a must. No Best Actress ballot should be completed before seeing Ando, and I would argue Nagayama a d Kurokawa would be worthy of reviews.
Louis: When you get to 1998, please re-watch The Mask Of Zorro, I watched it again yesterday and Hopkins is an easy 4.5 for me and Banderas is a very strong 4.
Louis: Since the academy give out Honorary Oscars, have you ever thought about giving Honorary awards to Actors, Directors, Writers and other professions in the film industry that have had a profound impact on you that don't have a single competitive win.
Jonathan: I personally love that idea though I think we should wait until the dust has settled on the bonus rounds before making any decisions. I will say that Andrei Tarkovsky would most definitely get one because I don't fancy his chances for Solaris and The Sacrifice.
Luke: An all-time great filmmaker. Shame he's up against Coppola (The Godfather) and Lynch (Blue Velvet). Josephson will be an intriguing review for The Sacrifice.
One of the best scenes directed by Payne, right down to the house itself that truly just is an old house of nearly forgotten memories, that Payne traces through showing the decay, but there's something loving within it. And it must be said great, matter of fact acting choices by Dern throughout the sequence, as he manages to show all the emotions, while never breaking out of his reserve, which is quite the marvellous trick to pull off.
Emi Grant & Robert:
It's definitely also on "the list", I actually had the choice of Poor Things or Monster, I don't regret my choice obviously, but I wish I had the time to have had watched both.
Luke:
I mean I'm always up for Mask of Zorro again.
Jonathan Williams:
Yes.
Not in order.
and I'll cheat slightly.
The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford Ben-Hur Chariots of Fire Cloud Atlas Gone With the Wind The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Jaws The Last Emperor LOTR Mad Max: Fury Road The Mission Once Upon a time in America Psycho Rocky Schindler's List Star Trek: The Motion Picture Star Wars/The Empire Strikes Back There Will Be Blood The Thin Red Line Vertigo
Luke:
I mean Simon basically fills the role of how so many see the film critic, with his dismissal of Star Wars, and suggestion that kids watch Tender Mercies instead, which I do prefer as a film over Return of the Jedi, but he's truly not reviewing the film in front of him. And not appreciating as intended as an entertainment, to the point that saying Disney should've made it, is such a ridiculous notion as Disney successfully made entertainments, so well done therefore. And Ebert and Siskel (which this clip can be used for anyone who ever might've called them pretentious critics) argue it well as successful as entertainment.
Let me wait just a touch longer for that.
Jonathan:
I mean that's a fun idea I could do at some point.
Ytrewq:
I find it aggressively cruel to be perfectly honest, and timing wise, I think they jump to the "pact" a bit fast, and given timing is involved with the tragedy, it feels artificial to me in the moment because of that.
Tony:
A difficult era, as I think you see just how great his chemistry with Siskel was, as Ebert dominates in a way that I don't think he even intended so in the debate portion especially, you see where Ebert has such control over the form, he runs rings around every guest host without even doing it intentionally I would say, and I'll say even when I technically might even disagree with him.
Louis: What are your thoughts on Siskel and Ebert's review of Congo? Gene's reaction to Roger saying Ernie Hudson reminded him of Clark Gable is one of my favourite moments of his ever.
Louis: thoughts on this 1990s cast for Poor Things?
Bella Baxter: Marisa Tomei Duncan Wedderburn: John Lone Dr. Godwin Baxter: Martin Landau Max McCandles: Ethan Hawke Alfie Blessington: James Spader Harry Astley: Isaach de Bankolé Felicity: Rosanna Arquette Madame Swiney: Grace Zabriskie Martha: Teresa Wright
And I was thinking, while I wouldn't really call Lanthimos' last two films 'Lynchian' or anything like that, would you say some of his new appeal for you has been akin to what Lynch does in finding the humanity and affection in the weirdness, rather than just weirdness?
The first two scenes are where in fact Yukiko really is this long game operator, despite her extremely gentle and charming demeanour, and in each Yamamoto is particularly wonderful in conveying this sort of specific insightful, if not even dogged determination, within just this playful lovely manner. The first in making the "deal", the second in executing via her charm in creating a trap for stubborn Wataru.
The afternoon scene, shows that really Ozu's powers in visual were so specific, since when he chose to open to nature he could be as beautiful and striking as anyone with such an ease about it.
Calvin:
LOVE that cast, particularly Zabriskie, Wright, Bankole, and especially Landau and Lone. The latter I can so easily imagine selling that "ow".
And I would agree, I think that is a great way to put it, and I would say that is probably the influence of McNamara, who I really wish had written Kind of Kindness....though it will at least be interesting to see if experiences with The Favourite and Poor Things, might've changed Lanthimos's overall approach at all.
Love these reviews where one tears the film apart without a second thought, then the other comes in seemingly having the seen the same film but coming to an almost impossibly different conclusion. In this case Ebert believing the whole film was meant to be ridiculous, especially love his way of trying to defend Amy's speech so specifically, and of course the Clark Gable comparison, with Siskel's level of disbelief is perfection. And Siskel successfully does get the last word with his "yeah have a couple of martinis".
Found this to be a waste of a lot of great music and potentially a great subject. Frankly watch any interview with Bernstein to get a greater insight into the man than you will here, or really any footage of him whatsoever will likely be more compelling than what we find here. Utterly fails as a biopic of Bernstein, you are granted no sense of his creative process, at least in any way that is at all cinematic, you are granted no sense of what makes him a great conductor or even musician. His world is left utterly vague, particularly what it is he did in preparing any musical piece, to the point there is no triumph in any moment when presenting or even insight, because it just is. You get at much from just watching the actual performances, making this an utter failure as such. But forget the musician, how about the man? That too is underdeveloped, as you just get some vague notions of semi-closeted eccentricity, that even that is left to be so much less than it should be. But hey if this is about the relationship between Bernstein and his wife Felicia that could be something, however much of that is told by rather rudimentary conversations, where all the meat seems skipped over for just the most obvious dramatic beats. You never really feel you truly understand or feel the pair for the majority of the film. The only part where the film finds something is when it becomes a decent cancer drama for a few scenes, not extraordinary by any means but decent.
Cooper's followup here is that of a genius filmmaker, sadly the genius is not there. Cooper seems to have no sense of how to use Bernstein's music written or conducted, rather just overlaying in certain scenes with no real sense of how they should function or amplify a scene. His big stylistic swings feel just like that, and they do feel half baked. Some there's a bit more but the technique is off. Even the much lauded cinematography is a bit uneven, though I'd say probably more in terms of Cooper's end than Libatique's. It all amounts to a lot of flash that doesn't even work as flash, it rather becomes instantly tiresome and more than a bit distracting. And just obvious overcompensation to make up for the extremely weak screenplay the film is working off of. I was genuinely very hopeful for this film, but it ends up being mostly a lot of wasted potential.
I'll say Axel F, didn't look terrible, which it could've easily, so I guess that's at least something, not to say it didn't look like a fairly generic action/comedy as such. Could still be terrible, but it looks better than Coming 2 America, so the foot is slightly in the right direction.
Well I'll admit my interest in Civil War after Annihilation and Men is close to nil. I didn't hate the trailer though, even if it looks like it could be potentially mining some very obvious material.
Love Lies Bleeding I thought looked like a tonal and potential story mess from the trailer...I hope this is a case just where the film is hard to market, but the way this was put together here was not good....though maybe a good role for Ed Harris? Maybe. But more interested in Drive Away Dolls between the two lesbian crime thrillers.
I mean as much as I'm not the biggest fan, he's technically not incorrect, and skill in tapping into the minds of many audiences is obviously unquestionable.
Luke:
Not good...the less studios the worse really in terms of at least taking chances with films with any kind of a budget.
Mulligan - (Here's a performance where there's almost two separate sides to her performance, the sort of creation presentation of the historical figure, that does feel a bit artificial. And it's not that she's doing the accent it is rather the way it is implemented that feels a bit too surface oriented. Having said that her sort of silent work in terms of his emotional reactions were on the other hand consistently on point, however in the same scene I was at times being distracted by her delivery a bit I was being convinced by her expressions, which is a bit of a strange dichotomy. The latter won over just enough for me to find this a successful performance, if just enough, and a lot is helped by her final scenes in the film, which are the best scenes, perhaps in a way helped by the fact that she pulls back on the voice a bit, ostensibly to portray the physical fatigue, but in the moment made the work feel the most completely genuine to me.)
I did enjoy how Mulligan seemed to be still gunning for a Fincher role at some point by praising him so much and stating her love of many takes. But they have a good friendly chemistry, particularly enjoyed the discussion of his racing attempts, particular Fassbender's admittance at being better at acting. But it was also interesting to hear the breakdowns around the central character of the killer, as many things mentioned are thoughts I had before hearing Fassbender discuss the ideas.
My thoughts are similar to Louis’s, I understand wanting to focus on one aspect of the subject’s life rather than try and cover everything, but if the story is just going to be about a marriage than why does it even need to be a Leonard Bernstein biopic?
That being said, I’d actually go a little higher for Mulligan, who I thought was decent in the first half of the film and excellent in the latter half.
159 comments:
1. Orser
2. Bogosian
3. Dutt
4. Dano
5. Fishburne
1. Bogosian
2. Orser
3. Dutt
4. Dano
5. Fishburne
Louis: Your thoughts on this clip https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXZfZRFck5E
Hooooly shit. Dano in Ruby Sparks is finally happening.
1. Orser
2. Dutt
3. Bogosian
4. Dano
5. Fishburne
Also, I re-watched Blackberry in theaters and I gotta say, I kinda hate how low it's going under the radar currently. It should be getting nods for Original Screenplay left and right at least.
1. Bogosian
2. Orser
3. Fishburne
4. Dutt
5. Dano
Pulling for a Larry upgrade, though I think Goldblum is more likely to get a 5.
Never mind my last comment, I just remembered Blackberry is an adapted screenplay and that the NBR gave it its due, at least, but still.
Looks like an interesting line up...of which I haven't seen any of these performances, sadly.
Also, random note...
I'm sure many of us remember Rebecca Hall's 2021 film "Passing". I've been rewatching some clips from "Findiny Your Roots", and she appeared in an episode. It was there I learned her maternal grandfather was of black heritage, even though he tried to pass as native american. Once more, her great grandfather was born into slavery in 1858, but then went on to meet President Grant and work at the US Treasury.
I just thought that was worth sharing, because knowing that info certainly explains why Hall wanted to make that film.
Loved Beef, and I didn't jump ahead with recs, nor did I binge it in a day, I was already watching it when requested.
Cast Ranking:
1. Yeun/Wong
2. Mazino
3. Min
4. Choe
5. Lee
6. Bello
7. Yasutake
8. Lee
9. Park
10. Santino
1. Orser
2. Bogosian
3. Dutt
4. Fishburne
5. Dano
Louis: Thoughts on the cast.
And where does Beef rank in Yeun's career.
1. Bogosian
2. Orser
3. Dutt
4. Fishburne
5. Dano
Louis: Your 5 favorite scenes from Beef, and your thoughts on the last two episodes?
With Bogosian being reviewed, I hope this means McGregor will in future get a write-up for The Ghost Writer.
Luke, your overall ranking predictions for this lineup plus Goldblum.
Orser - Top 5
Dutt - 3rd
Bogosian - 4th
Fishburne - 9th
Goldblum - 3rd
Dano - 16th to 20th
1. Bogosian
2. Orser
3. Dutt
4. Dano
5. Fishburne
RIP Andre Braugher, this one hurts. Always felt he should've had a bigger film career after Glory.
RIP Andre Braugher
RIP Andre Braugher. Always good.
RIP Andre Braugher.
RIP Andre Braugher
RIP Andre Braugher, just absolutely shocked.
1. Bogosian
2. Orser
3. Fishburne
4. Dutt
5. Dano
Glory was my favorite film of 1989, 11 Emmy nominations, he is the same age as my mother, how has this happened...
I've never watched a full episode of Brookyln Nine Nine, every clip I have seen on YouTube, my god does he own the part, literally dominates his scenes.
Braugher's work as Raymond Holt is one of my favorite TV performances period, he always elevated every single scene he was in. Gone far too soon.
Louis: Thoughts on this scene from Brooklyn 99.
youtube.com/watch?v=Nb7WLJrW_PU&pp=ygUbYnJvb2tseW4gOTkgaGFsbG93ZWVuIGhlaXN0
R.I.P. Andre Braugher
RIP Andre Braugher. 61 is way too soon.
As for predictions, I still need to see Dutt and Orser but I'll give this a shot for now:
1. Orser
2. Bogosian
3. Fishburne
4. Dutt
5. Dano
Louis: As I believe you've said James Lipton and Craig Ferguson are two of your favourite interviewers, your general thoughts on them.
As a fellow Scotsman, I think my main respect for Craig Ferguson was his alcoholism and up front admission of it, as someone who did a Mads Mikkelsen in Another Round back in the late 2010s and shockingly got away with it, ye I can respect a talk show host for being so up front about it all.
Louis: thoughts on the church breakdown scene in Beef.🥩
Is there a possibility that the two leads of Philadelphia get a re-eval during the recommendations period? I rewatched the film and ended up really loving the choices made by both Hanks and Washington, though I have to dock the former a bit for that awful opera scene (not his fault really but does hold him back for me a bit).
RIP Andre Braugher. This one hits hard.
RIP Andre Braugher
1.Bogosian
2.Orser
3.Dutt
4.Dano
5.Fishburne
RIP Andre Braugher
RIP Andre Braugher
Rest in peace, Andrew Braugher. Far too young (one year older than my dad!)
1. Bogosian
2. Orser
3. Dutt
4. Fishburne
5. Dano
RatedRStar: I echo that sentiment on Ferguson. He's been rather open about his personal troubles, and I admire that sort of blunt honesty in people. I also find his interviewing style, in general, to be quite entertaining and distinctly scottish (which I am by heritage, hence my last name).
Ugh, looks we're relying on SAG to save McAdams.
1. Orser
2. Dutt
3. Bogosian
4. Fishburne
5. Dano
I'm not taking Critics Choice that seriously.
Louis: Aside from Allen and Dance, are there any other performances from GOT that came away unscathed.
Luke: I am definitely taking Supporting Actor seriously, the last two years, JK Simmons, Judd Hirsch and Brian Tyree Henry only got one major nom before the Oscars. The critics choice award.
It looks like they're actually trying to make Air happen. Ok.
Louis: Your thoughts on this Ebert review. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/synecdoche-new-york-2008
Luke: Which years from the 1980s and 2000s do you think are most likely to be analyzed next?
Ytrewq: 86 and 04.
Matt: The category it'll most likely show up in is Best Original Screenplay, I think. Otherwise, Best Picture?
Bryan: Yeah, but WHY though? Is it THAT good?
Matt: No, but neither was King Richard, and that got nominated as well. The Academy goes for crowd-pleasing movies a lot with the expanded BP category.
Louis: Your thoughts on the voices of Chikage Awashima and Ineko Arima.
Matt: What Marcus said. I myself don't mind the film, but it definitely doesn't need Oscar nominations.
Everyone: Maybe this has been asked before, but what would be everyone's casting choices for a modern day "A Few Good Men"? I was thinking Vanessa Kirby in Moore's role, and maybe Nicholas Hoult in Bacon's.
Kaffee and Jessup would be crucial to get right; the young, brash lieutenant and the steely, prideful colonel. For the latter, it also might be a good idea to cast someone who doesn't typically play antagonists, thereby making his true nature less obvious.
Also...who would've been a better replacement for Nicholson's original turn? My big issue with that performance is EVERYONE talks about his big scene/speech, but I don't hear anyone talking about the rest of his work. He simply isn't that memorable until the very end.
Mitchell: Hmmmm... I could see Steven Yeun being a good Kaffee.
Louis: Oh, also forgot. Rating and thoughts on Yoshiko Kuga in Equinox Flower.
Mitchell: I actually think Nicholson's great, even though the role was written for someone younger. His scene with Walsh near the beginning is exactly the right level of smarm and pettiness the role needed in terms of personality. I actually like that he makes Jessup as just a dick. Sometimes less complex is better.
Also, if we're talking modern: John Boyega as Kaffee and (since the role WAS meant for someone younger) Dan Stevens as Jessup.
Bryan and Matt: Because of that, we should probably look out for Viola Davis at SAG.
Mitchell: I think Rhea Seehorn would work as Galloway.
Regarding Ferguson, what was interesting to me about him was that he never seemed like he was phoning a conversation in. He could interview the most boring guest and still try to make it as entertaining as possible.
Louis: What is the highest rating that a film you were emotionally detached from can get for you?
Tony: Yeah, that does seem like a nomination SAG would do.
Pretty much in agreement with everyone on Boy and the Heron, as for the voice performances, Masaki Suda's was absolutely spectacular work but just in general really strong work across the board.
Louis: Thoughts on the trailer for Kung Fu Panda 4? Personally I'm feeling very skeptical about it.
Calvin: ratings for the cast of The Boy & The Heron and Wonka?
R.I.P. Andre Braugher
Mitchell: I think I'd have Sam Rockwell in Nicholson's role for that
Ytrewq: i agree, also, where are the Furious 5?
Is the new Fargo season worth it, I haven't watched any of it.
Louis: Your Top 5 for Production Design, Costumnes Design, Makeup Hairstyling and Visual Effects of 1932?
Just thought of a supporting performance you could review for backlogs: Pat Hingle in Splendor in the Grass. Feel like that's an easy 4.5/5 on revisit.
Luke:
Yeun & Wong - (Hard for me to really separate them as they are equally great and equally necessary in terms of the success of the series. Yeun continues to show his considerable range here in playing now the biggest screw up possible, who is just a mess, that is too far a cry from his other greatest performances of Burning, and Minari. Beef sitting nicely with those two in showing just a tremendous performer. Here Yeun is great in just being the emotional mess in every way possible, and just playing into the man who basically is looking for an excuse for his situation in his anger or annoyance by others. Yeun setting up as the man who's only outlet that isn't self-loathing is the loathing of others. Wong on the other hand is equally great in playing the "higher" status of her character who is as defined by her extreme self-loathing in her existence. Her performance has a similar though more refined intensity that creates a great sense of the repression of her character. Where they both excel together is the way that both of them are entirely convincing in this opening state, in a way that is wholly convincing of the emotion but manages to be naturally funny in just playing into how extreme of an emotion it is. It isn't some simple trick given you believe them as people while also finding it very easy to laugh at their antics. Where their performances go though is what makes the series so great because of how consistently surprising each of them are, yet how natural they are in every big swing. Each goes to the darkest place of Yeun presenting his most pathetic impulses in every sense, against Wong portraying the most extreme forms of pettiness. However the truly brilliant trick of the whole thing is that as bad of people as both express them to be, they do make you care about each of them by always showing the very real vulnerabilities within all of their behaviors. And what is great about both their performances is when they hit these moments because they are tremendous, don't feel forced, and in a way that often despicable manner of the characters makes all of this feel more palatable. And what both of them do in the final two episodes is extraordinary work. The final episode in particular works because of their performances because their performances earn the moments of the emotional rock bottom, that is still funny at times, but also the moments of real empathy that feel so particularly powerful because you felt just how hard it was to get to them for each character through the performances.)
Mazino & Lee - (I put both in a similar box because they have similar trajectory. Both seem fairly simplistic "lunks"/"hunks", and what both show is that each guy is more than that. For me Mazino's exploration of the more of his character left the greater impact for me on the whole, where it kind of goes from the thin seemingly screwup brother who is constantly fighting with his true screwup brother, to revealing really how much is going on with him. Lee's work I feel is a bit thinner in the thin phase, as he's kind of the bland husband, though that is also the point. And I do think he's effective though as he brings more depth to the character, to show the expressions of the character there is more to him. Each thought is effective in kind of being at first the image created by Wong and Yeun's characters and then showing there is more to them over time.)
Min - (Relatively short performance in the scheme of the series. however found him very effective within his relatively brief screen time, in I think in some ways doing more with sort of the expected characterization of the intensely religious man, where Min brings the matching sort of conviction about that, which is just a bit too much though in the right way. He then naturally segues within his performance to really all that makes his character too far less than perfect, and is quite effective in showing the desperation not as an immediate change from his other manner, rather a thing that is kind of seething outside of his former facade.)
Choe - (I quite enjoyed his performance where I think he managed to find the right blend between being a comedic oaf, though with enough of an actual unpredictable menace within his rather oafish qualities. Bringing within his performance this kind of oddity of this strange good nature at times, that is mixed in with his haplessness and even violence, that he delivers always as casually, which brings the right sense of someone with even less to lose presenting himself as just a man who basically does whatever whenever.)
Bello - (I don't think I'd go as far as nominating her, as I think she is reasonably fine, though very much overshadowed, in portraying the fairly superficial, though intentionally so, of the vapid rich woman. Although I think what she does do well is find some natural variation within the moments of sort of the constant smile that at times denotes different things, such as the moments where that smile suddenly carries a certain hostility that is fairly effective.)
Park - (More so the role, as I thought she was entirely serviceable overall, but didn't think she made much of an impact in either direction.)
Santino - (Even within the comedic henchmen I thought he went too far, without being funny.)
I'd say just behind Burning.
A hilarious scene as is many a Captain Holt scenes, and while I didn't keep up with the series past a few initial episodes when it first came out, I did enjoy Braugher completely, to the point of coming back occasionally to watch random compilations, where Braugher's sort of pitch perfect blend of dead pan, straight man, but also somehow completely absurd at the same time. A great example of such as the whole concept of the long con is absurd, but Braugher delivers it all with such smooth conviction.
Marcus:
The success of the final two episodes is what makes it a great series, because building everything together only works if you actually pull it off, which Beef does. Both episodes I think kind of represent two different styles of resolution, and in a way the series brilliantly has it both ways. The second to last episode is the "everything at the wall" kind of climax, where you have kidnapping, gunfights, actions and really the most extreme moments possible involving almost all the characters in some way. It completely succeeds as such in just upping the ante each time, and sort of creating the explosion by having all the fringe elements of both protagonists slam against each other as a beautiful mess of insanity, that is funny, that is tense and takes each of them to an extreme where the Beef goes to the max. The last episode though is the polar opposite of the smallest version of the ending, of just our two protagonists talking it out, where we see the process as intimately as possible, and really built not on big sequences, rather just the two actors talking to each other. And this version of the ending is even greater than the complete insanity version, which was also great, because it genuinely earns the whole hashing out of everything in a way that is natural, captivating and still funny, and effortlessly realized by both actors.
Tony:
Ferguson's great at being so direct and disarming with his conversations. He's great at genuine rapport, but he's also great at knowing how to actually be funny in the conversations without seeming to make the interviews all about himself.
Lipton was great at just going extremely in depth to the point of surprising many of his guests with some of his pulls from their history. And while I understand the criticism some have for him of seeming too laudatory to his guests, I think that's not really looking at the show's intention properly.
Tony:
A brilliant review that properly sums up the film I think without at all being a traditional review, but creates really the feeling of the film. And I would say in some way accurately states therefore really how one responds to the film will be completely personal, and there is no way to determine how another will respond to it.
8000's:
I mean both have quietly beautiful voices that have a very gentle quality to them.
Kuga - (She's good in her scene, albeit fairly brief work, but she instantly conveys the relationship with both her father and her father's friend in a silent instance. And has a nice practical manner in her performance that speaks much quickly.)
Tahmeed:
Probably 4.5, although I would say there are different levels of emotionally detached I would say.
Ytrewq:
Eh...not quite seeing any new ground with this one.
Matt:
I wouldn't qualify it as great so far, but certainly is overall entertaining I would say.
Anonymous:
Production Design:
1. The Sign of the Cross
2. Wooden Crosses
3. The Blood of a Poet
4. Freaks
5. The Mummy
Costume Design:
1. The Sign of the Cross
2. Freaks
3. Shanghai Express
4. The Mummy
5. Island of Lost Souls
Makeup & Hairstyling:
1. The Mummy
2. Island of Lost Souls
3. The Blood of a Poet
4. Freaks
5. The Old Dark House
VFX:
1. The Blood of a Poet
2. Love Me Tonight
3. Poil de Carotte
4. The Mummy
5. Wooden Crosses
Unless Davis really comes close to Oldman, I'm struggling to care about another Kung Fu Panda film.
Louis: ratings and thoughts on the cast for Fremont?
My biggest gripe with the trailer is not just the lack of Furious 5, but also how Tai Lung is about to return (and apparently get thrashed) and the villain seems like a rehash of Kai from the third installment. It all feels like something a MCU writer would do.
Louis: Where would Yeun and Wong rank amongst your 2023 TV top 5's? Also, could I have your thoughts on the following scenes from Beef?
'The Reason' from the first episode
Danny breaks down in church
Confessing the truth to Paul
Louis: Your top 5 interviews for Ferguson and Lipton each.
Louis: Ratings and Thoughts on Newton, Levi and Richardson in Dawn Of The Nugget.
5º Paul Dano
4º Laurence Fishburne
3º Leland Orser
2º Utpal Dutt
1º Eric Bogosian
Louis: Thoughts on these casts for Japanese versions of Blue Velvet and Eyes Wide Shut, both directed by Teshigahara?
Jeffrey Beaumont: Tsutomu Yamazaki
Frank Booth: Toshiro Mifune
Dorothy Vallens: Machiko Kyo
Sandy Williams: Shima Iwashita
Detective Williams: Susumu Fujita
Mrs. Williams: Kinuyo Tanaka
Mrs. Beaumont: Haruko Sugimura
Ben: Tatsuya Nakadai
Bill Hartford: Tatsuya Nakadai
Alice Hartford: Yoko Tsukasa
Victor Ziegler: Masayuki Mori
Nick Nightingale: Mikijiro Hira
Mysterious woman: Machiko Kyo
I was not at all crazy about Dawn of the Nugget. I laughed at some of the visual gags, but it is a complete mess.
Newton-3.5(Pointless recast aside)
Levi-3(Actually a nice enough approximation of what Gibson did)
Ramsey-3
Mohammed-1.5
Serafinowicz-3
Richardson-3.5
Louis: Thoughts on the direction of The Blood of a Poet.
Louis: Thoughts on this deleted scene from The Muppet Christmas Carol.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbawsayImds
Louis: Your top 10 scenes from Beef.
Matthew:
Zada - 4(A performance where I do feel like I would need a followup to fully judge, as like Driver in Paterson there is that certain strangely intriguing way of being so unemotional and straightforward, however I wouldn't say quite as intriguing as Driver in Paterson, I also don't quite have the proof that this is entirely due to performance driven, unlike Driver where I had other performances to go off of. Regardless though her performance works in its very micro expressions at times, and just a general sort of state of someone kind of purposefully detached from his reality.)
Turkington - 4(As the psychiatrist more interested in White Fang than anyone has ever been, I enjoyed his certain blend within his performance between this kind of extreme sincerity about it, but also the slightly comical quality within that sincerity. A surprisingly effective blend between being a subversion of a thing, while also being the thing, as it is funny how emotional he gets in moments, but it also is moving in how it seems genuine all the same.)
White - 3.5(Although way less screen time to work with, but a much better part than he was dealing with Nails. A very quietly charming performance from him, where he brings this underlying vulnerability in a very effective way to disarm while also bringing a sincerity within the character's romantic overtures.)
Tahmeed:
Great end to the episode through the use of slow motion along with the song with the biggest dumbest smile on Yeun's face, against the sheer hate on Wong's, and the reading of the license plate again to show that this is far from over.
Amazing acting more than anything from Yeun in the scene, but also such a great moment in terms of revealing the vulnerability of the character in showing how much pain is in the character that even the notion that there's anything other than his terrible existence can release essentially an onslaught of emotions within him.
Again great acting by Yeun in the moment, but just beautifully written in the moment of Danny finally being completely honest, by admitting the very worst to his brother. And finally doing the right thing for his brother by admitting how much he's done wrong to him, especially the confessional way he admits to throwing away his college applications as someone who is finally releasing all his guilt in the moment.
Yeun would probably be my #3. Wong would be my #1.
Tony:
Lipton:
Clint Eastwood
Dustin Hoffman
John Goodman
Robin Williams
Jack Lemmon
Ferguson:
Any Michael Sheen
Robin Williams
Ellen Barkin
Kristin Bell
Ewan McGregor
Luke:
Newton - 3.5(Her vocal performance isn't the problem, she does do more or less an accurate approximation, to the point one ponders why they recast at all. But she's a good actress and does her part, even if I am against the notion of the recast, particularly the claimed reason.)
Levi - 3(Well I am much more understanding of this recasting, I would say there is a bit more of an oomph within Gibson's naturally deeper voice in comparison, but Levi does indeed do a fine job of bringing a similar extreme sort of "head first" kind of enthusiasm.)
Richardson - 3(With all the buildup, I will say they really didn't do all much with her character, and she doesn't go nuts in really the same way this time around. She still delivers on her end to be sure, but there could've been for her to deliver on.)
8000's:
Although Mifune isn't the first I would think of as Booth physically, he would go for it and that's what you need more than anything. And I can get behind the right though I might go Mori instead for Ben, nothing against Nakadai obviously, but I think you need someone a bit older there.
Eyes Wide Shut, they most definitely all work there, particularly Teshigahara as the director. Though given he's the director I think you'd have Okada as Ziegler however.
Anonymous:
I mean the kind of direction that is all about the direction, and if the completely insane imagery can in some way be compelling, where this is an instance one may interpret, however one has to interpret to decipher more specific meaning as that narration will not help you. However Cocteau's visual imagination here is more than enough, with really every aspect within film to craft one of a kind series of images that remain consistently fascinating.
Jonathan Williams:
See....I don't know if it was deleted. I know that's the official story, but I was in the theater in 1992. I saw it twice in fact. And I remember the song, or at least perhaps I should say, I don't remember the absurdly awkward cut that exists in the version of the film without the song. But regardless of the truth, a horrible cut in any instance because there's not enough to the scene alone to have the sudden shift to the emotion. Worse, it removes the connection between this song and the ending song of the "Love is Found". But worst of all, it is some of Caine's best work as Scrooge, and most essential in terms of his emotional transformation in the moment of the pseudo duet then Scrooge's breakdown that shows really how much the moment impacts him. Also just in itself, incredibly moving depiction of Scrooge's losses, just in Caine's slowly breaking in the moment to just being left with his despair.
Oliver:
1. "Dying" together
2. Confessing the truth to Paul
3. Danny's breakdown in Church
4. Yelling at each other from a distance
5. Ending
6. Inciting Incident
7. "The reason"
8. Dream house burning/Burger King
9. Rage together at another driver
10. "Amazing Grace"
Louis: thoughts on the "Dying" together scene? That's my favourite scene too.
Louis, thoughts on the rest of the chicken run cast.
With Poor Things one can only say it is delightful,that's amazing and how are the pastries so crispy? That is to say I adored every inch of the mad beast of a film it is, where it skewers the entire human race, while also simultaneously having a surprisingly strong affection for it all the same. Brought to life as a one of a kind visual feast, that quite frankly has some of the greatest production design (no qualifier needed), but every technical aspect is a marvel. But that might not be enough, but I love the hilarity of it, that managed to blend it with genuine characters I can care for or at the very least be fascinated with endlessly, despite all their flaws and intense idiosyncrasies. A film I genuinely did not know where it was going, but was there for the ride, in every bit of its splendour and grotesquery.
Stone - 5
Youssef - 4
Abbott - 3.5
Carmichael - 3
Qualley - 3.5
Hunter - 4
Schygulla - 4(what a wonderful surprise)
Pepperdine - 3.5
Louis: Thoughts on the cast.
Glad you loved Poor Things so much, and completely agree on the production design. I loved the Schygulla surprise too - which in turn indicates some of the intriguing parallels the film has to Maria Braun.
I'd probably go higher on Carmichael, and Youssef and Hunter would be 4.5's for me, but otherwise completely agree - and love the Pepperdine (who does get one of the funniest line deliveries in the film).
Unless there's a real last minute shake up I think we have our Supporting Actress winner.
Louis: Who would you cast as Linda Ronstadt for a biopic of her?
Also, would you consider yourself a fan of Ronstadt?
Louis: Your thoughts on the casts of Anatomy Of A Fall and Saltburn.
Anonymous: Louis doesn't rate TV performances. He described both giving amazing work so they are definitely the equivalent of a 5.
Louis, your Aardman ranking.
Wait, Jerrod Carmichael's in Poor Things? I didn't know that. Back-to-back years where both him and Christopher Abbott appear in a film.
Luke:
Huller - (Her performance more or less is the film in terms of creating the more important emotional intensity within the film. Where her performance is consistently honest I think in creating just the experience of this person in this situation, creating the right sense of the experience per scene. From the opening scene where she brings the charisma of the known author though mixed in with the quiet almost laughing frustrations as connected to the initial relationship with her husband. She's then very effective in terms of playing the victim of seeming circumstance, but "playing" the victim. And while I don't think this really denotes guilt or not, rather Huller effectively instead presents it as someone who is trying to hide the things that could make her look guilty rather than being truly guilty. And she brings the right sort of quiet frustration within the sense of a withdrawn way of explaining any element of the situation as kind of trying to make it the most immediate and easy answer. As the film progresses, she lets go of that under scrutiny, again Huller doesn't play it as being "caught" but rather someone who is opening up just very challenging and intimate emotional information in a rather rough and often uncaring situation. Her performance then becomes this powerful though still subdued release of emotion that I think is paired with it such a rich sense of the history of the relationship as she unravels it. Huller always though I think remaining guarding, and leeking it out as matters of needing to admit the truth and deal with it as such. Bringing the underlying pain in every moment of opening up to what is really going on with every element of her life. That's except for the major flashback scene, where she is great in basically showing the intensity of the pain within the relationship and completely showing it for the fraught wound it was in that moment. Her performance beautifully articulates the best aspect of the film, which isn't whether or not she did it (I think technically the film fails in that respect), but rather creating the sense of uncovering the mystery of how this relationship would leave to a death.)
Arlaud - (A good if somewhat expected defense attorney style performance, but he plays the expected notes well. I also did like his overall chemistry with Huller that had enough of an air of ambiguity in terms of the moments of his analysis with the moments of sort of being as much a friend in certain moments. Those moments that I think it would be easier to dislike, but I found his and Huller's chemistry worked as such that they were earned, and thankfully not overdone by the end.)
Reinartz - (Perhaps the most ridiculous character in terms of his arguments, though evidently objections are not a thing in French courts, which explains some of this. Regardless of how good of arguments his character has, I did find his hectoring tone was effective in playing the different variations of the man trying to paint her in the worst possible light, and accentuate the negative whenever he could.)
Theis - (Essentially a two scene performance, the first being the big fight, where he gives as good as Huller does in showing just how damaged the relationship is, with Theis bringing an even more intense distress and vulnerability in every moment of the interaction. I was actually though more impressed by his final scene, despite not verbally getting to portray the part, however every facial expression of his was wonderful as he was able to convey the sense of warmth for his son, while also conveying within the very intense degree of sadness and despair just behind it, though mixed in with this strange kind of hopeful care of making sure his son will be okay with the loss eventually.)
I'll actually move Machado-Graner over to saves.
Keoghan *could* get nominated, it's a big long shot but it could happen, as indicated by his Globe nod.
Elordi - (He gives a charismatic performance that naturally approaches every scene even within the type, in a convening way. The problem is the character is no Dickie Greenleaf, because the character really doesn't want anything in particular or need anything in particular, nor does it explore that idea either. He's just kind of the notion of the rich hunk, who everyone either wants or wants to be around. As such he delivers that charisma well, and even the fairly straightforward discontent in his character, that are naturally realized just as someone should be towards someone who is constantly lying. Again though his work is in service of a shallow part unfortunately.)
Pike - (Reading some snippets of the early word on her performance, I thought we were going to get a Weisz in The Favourite style performance, unfortunately that requires actually witty dialogue, and Tony Richardson was too busy writing Poor Things and The Great. Instead Pike's working again with a very weak role, as her character's only kind of catty, and then her sudden fixation on Oliver comes out of nowhere in terms of being a convincing progression beyond, "Oh he agreed with her two times!". Man do I hate this movie the more I think about it...anyway, I actually could go lower, because Pike is perfectly serviceable at doing dismissive regalness, but there isn't anything overly biting about her work either. Like Elordi she brings the setup but then Fennel doesn't really send her in any directions.)
Madekwe - (The most overused and underwritten character I've seen in some time, as he will not stop showing up, in order to repeat the same line with the same smug delivery of "you don't belong". Again just a terrible character, made worse though because I think unlike some of the others who I do think were trying to find something to work with, he just is content in the shallow note played as obnoxiously as possible.)
Oliver - (Her character is another inconsistent character, as is she the manipulative type, is she one to be manipulated, is she some sort of nymphet, Oliver to her credit is whatever she needs to be in a given scene even though there is no consistency whatsoever with how she is written, including her last scene, which is her best scene, which again I don't think is naturally earned however her intensity in the grief, anger and bitterness is well realized if also inconsistent.)
Grant - (Truly has almost nothing to work with, but I do like his presence as per usual. His one final scene with Keoghan is good, if undercooked in the writing once again, as it seems like there should've been more throughout in terms of an actual conflict there.)
Calvin:
Yeah for me Richardson/Lanthimos is a match made in heaven (though the content of their films may require a different metaphor.)
Youssef and Hunter could go up on re-watch for me.
Tahmeed:
Pepperdine - (A few expertly laid one liners and reaction shots, that are rather hilarious. Certainly rarely the focus but her quick additions are most welcome.)
Schygulla - (Didn't know she was in this so I quite enjoyed her surprise appearance, loved though the amount of seasoned warmth she brought in her performance, in bringing someone who truly didn't expect anything from Bella and just essentially cheers her on through her own fairly optimistic disposition contrasting her companion. Lovely work that is filled with a sense of life that is rather winning as someone who is wholly positive within the journey.)
Hunter - (An expected bit of grotesquery in a way, but beautifully done regardless. With her ability to manage to be disarming yet dangerous in equal measure, with this most unpleasant sense of agreeability with a kind of vicious quality that is almost animalistic in the specifics of her "lusty" moments.)
Qualley - (Not a bad understudy performance, if naturally a bit overshadowed.)
Carmichael - (I don't know now with both this and On the Count of Three, there is something a little flat about his performances at times, and not that I think it derails anything, I don't quite buy it fully as just from the character. To me there is a bit of stand up comedian not quite fully being convincing as an actor. I still think his performance works, I do also think there's some obvious limitations and I do think another performer would've been able to make a bigger impact in the role for me.)
Abbott - (I'll just say I thought he successfully made the right impression twice, fairly memorably, especially the second time, in quite short order, bringing his typical "just go for it" quality in his performance...which he does so.)
Youssef - (His performance in the first third is a wonderful straight man performance, as so many of the best jokes are facilitated through his reactions which are often hilarious in just quite simply being a completely normal reaction to some of the insanity he witnesses. Otherwise I think he finds the right specific tone with his performance in managing to balance those moments of being completely surprised, baffled or horrified by something, with some genuine humanity in certain moments of his observations. Creating a strong enough sense of the character's care beneath the observations, particularly later on bringing an elegant warmth that comes in at just the right moment.)
8000's:
Well I wouldn't consider myself a fan per se, certainly think she's talented.
Well Jenna Ortega, however if she can't sing, Anya Taylor-Joy who while she has Argentinian background rather than Mexican, however she can sing and also importantly also has the eyes.
Bryan:
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Chicken Run
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Louis: Thoughts on Mulligan in Saltburn.
Made a trip up to New York last week and was able to see three movies that I enjoyed to varying degrees.
Fallen Leaves is a sweet little romance that manages to treat the personal hardships of its leads with sensitivity without undercutting the film’s pleasantly quirky tone and making the whole thing too heavy. The leads have a lowkey charming chemistry that makes it easy to root for them to overcome the mishaps and misunderstandings they’re faced with throughout the story.
Pöysti: 4.5
Vatanen: 4
Hyytiäinen: 3.5
Alma: 5
American Fiction was actually kind of misleading from the trailers alone, as the story of Monk’s family collectively processing grief and unresolved trauma arguably has just as much focus in the film as the story of the joke novel becoming an international phenomenon. That doesn’t harm the film per se, as I thought both stories had something worthwhile to say and were both important in developing the character of Monk as a man who’s stubborn resistance to being put in any sort of box leads him to having difficulty relating to anyone, though I maybe wish the satire had been the “A story” as what was there was wonderfully entertaining and I would have loved to see that be developed even more. Cast is very strong overall, with Wright of course being the standout.
Wright: 4.5
Ross: 3.5
Ortiz: 3.5
Alexander: 3
Uggams: 3.5
Taylor: 3.5
Brown: 4
Rae: 3
Brody: 3
Big shoutout to Keith David and Okieriete Onaodowan who absolutely understood the assignment in very brief roles.
Wonka was really just a joy from beginning to end. Captures so much of the earnestness and magic that made the original so special, from the musical numbers which are surprisingly well-written and even better performed, to the characteristically zany creative processes behind each of Wonka’s chocolates, to the endlessly unique and beautiful production design and and hair and makeup work. The cast is having an absolute blast no matter how small their role, and I ended up not caring at all about its status as a prequel/origin story and just enjoying and investing in the story on its own merits. My one issue was with the storyline surrounding the Chief of Police, we really need to not be making comedy that relies on fat suits and overeating as a plot point anymore. But overall I think anyone who enjoys the Paddington movies will be won over by this one too.
Chalamet: 4
Lane: 3.5
Colman: 4
Davis: 3.5
Carter: 3.5
Thakrar, Rothwell & Fulcher: 3
Key: 3/3.5
Joseph: 4.5 (just realizing in this moment that he was the cast MVP for me, just a perfect example of a proper mustache-twirling villain.)
Lucas & Batynton: 3.5
Atkinson: 3
Michael: What about Hugh Grant.
3.5 for Grant.
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the cast of 0.5mm.
And where would you put Sakura Ando in the 2014 Lead Actress overall ranking.
Louis: Your thoughts on Stone in Poor Things, unless you're waiting for more people to see it first.
Michael: i have also seen Wonka (saw it Saturday). Was pretty good and delightful for the most part
Letterboxd Review: https://boxd.it/5l6UDz
Timothée Chalamet - 4
Calah Lane - 4
Keegan-Michael Key - 1.5/2
Paterson Jones - 3
Matt Lucas - 2
Mathew Baynton - 2.5
Sally Hawkins - 3/3.5
Rowan Atkinson - 2.5
Jim Carter - 3
Tom Davis - 3
Olivia Colman - 3.5
Hugh Grant - 3.5
Natasha Rothwell - 3
Rakhee Thakrar - 3
Richard Fulcher - 2/2.5
*Paterson Joseph. My bad.
I don't think I've ever liked Matt Lucas in any context.
Luke:
Mulligan - (I can't help but feel her turning down the Pike role, might've said something about the script early on as she's in and out quick. I think she's entirely fine in playing the human mess, but again, her note is brief too brief and not really explored. She does what she can, but it's an idea that isn't given proper weight.)
Ando - 4.5(What holds the film together, just mainly because she's an innately compelling performer much of the time, and her work often chooses a different choice than you might expect. She comes at each scene a bit differently and does create this certain chaos at times, even as it's mixed in with this innate sort of type of kind of empathy. However she's always a bit more wily than that, and is always coming in a different way, that does make her character a bit more fascinating than I think she might've been otherwise.)
#8
Marcus:
Well, I'll just say for the moment, since I really need to get into spoilers to really dive into details, that it's perfection for me, in every sense, and in a role that frankly is entirely a highwire act, where it would be easy to fail in so many ways, however Stone not only avoids any pitfalls, she glides through the entirety of it. She's captivating every second she's onscreen, hilarious in every attempt to be so, physically and emotionally takes the riskiest choices that always pay off, and makes every single development and change, both pointed and strangely natural (which is quite the feat in itself all things considered). To say I loved her performance is an understatement.
Damn, Stone might just be Louis' win.
Might be his #1 of the decade so far.
Louis what do you think about Poor Things's Oscar chances now that you've seen it?
Louis: ratings and thoughts on the cast of Earth Mama?
I've heard talk of Poor Things being Lanthimos' "Most accessible" film but I don't recall any walk outs during The Favourite.
Louis: Which films do you think you need to see before posting your ten best of 2023?
Anonymous: At least The Zone of Interest I would think
Matt:
Well it is more accessible than his other films other than the Favorite (which in my view was because the style got in the way of the story, and the characters, rather than amplifying them as is the case here and The Favorite). But in terms of content it's much more explicit than The Favorite, which is definitely saying something.
Anonymous:
Quite a few still at this point including but not limited to: Zone of Interest, Perfect Days, The Iron Claw, American Fiction, Fallen Leaves, All of Us Strangers.
Louis: what are your thoughts on this scene from Nebraska? https://youtu.be/1trs2PzJY6w?si=ElCcNAm9sbo1_gGz
Louis: Is Kore-eda's Monster by any chance on that list? I'd be interested to see your thoughts on Eija Nagajama and Soya Kurokawa.
I'm aware I'm biased because I've been rambling about it like a lunatic on LB for the past 2 weeks, but I *really* want to see what the consensus on it ends up being in this blog.
Louis: I’ve seen Monster, and I think that’s a must. No Best Actress ballot should be completed before seeing Ando, and I would argue Nagayama a d Kurokawa would be worthy of reviews.
Louis: When you get to 1998, please re-watch The Mask Of Zorro, I watched it again yesterday and Hopkins is an easy 4.5 for me and Banderas is a very strong 4.
Louis: Is Emma Stone on her way to being one of your all-time favourite actresses.
And what are your 20 favourite film scores of all-time.
Louis: Thoughts on Siskel and Ebert vs. John Simon.
Louis: I know you still have Fargo to finish but what are your TV top 10s of 2023.
Louis: Since the academy give out Honorary Oscars, have you ever thought about giving Honorary awards to Actors, Directors, Writers and other professions in the film industry that have had a profound impact on you that don't have a single competitive win.
Jonathan: I personally love that idea though I think we should wait until the dust has settled on the bonus rounds before making any decisions. I will say that Andrei Tarkovsky would most definitely get one because I don't fancy his chances for Solaris and The Sacrifice.
Luke: An all-time great filmmaker. Shame he's up against Coppola (The Godfather) and Lynch (Blue Velvet). Josephson will be an intriguing review for The Sacrifice.
Louis: Thoughts on the ending scene of The Mist? Notable in that Stephen King reportedly prefers it over the one in the book.
Luke: Do you feel confident in saying that Tokyo Story will win Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay once Louis gets to 1953?
8000S: I can't see how it won't win Picture at the very least.
1. Utpal Dutt
2. Leland Orser
3. Eric Bogosian
4. Paul Dano
5. Laurence Fishburne
Louis: Your general thoughts on the "Ebert and guest" era of At the Movies.
Lucas:
One of the best scenes directed by Payne, right down to the house itself that truly just is an old house of nearly forgotten memories, that Payne traces through showing the decay, but there's something loving within it. And it must be said great, matter of fact acting choices by Dern throughout the sequence, as he manages to show all the emotions, while never breaking out of his reserve, which is quite the marvellous trick to pull off.
Emi Grant & Robert:
It's definitely also on "the list", I actually had the choice of Poor Things or Monster, I don't regret my choice obviously, but I wish I had the time to have had watched both.
Luke:
I mean I'm always up for Mask of Zorro again.
Jonathan Williams:
Yes.
Not in order.
and I'll cheat slightly.
The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
Ben-Hur
Chariots of Fire
Cloud Atlas
Gone With the Wind
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Jaws
The Last Emperor
LOTR
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Mission
Once Upon a time in America
Psycho
Rocky
Schindler's List
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Wars/The Empire Strikes Back
There Will Be Blood
The Thin Red Line
Vertigo
Luke:
I mean Simon basically fills the role of how so many see the film critic, with his dismissal of Star Wars, and suggestion that kids watch Tender Mercies instead, which I do prefer as a film over Return of the Jedi, but he's truly not reviewing the film in front of him. And not appreciating as intended as an entertainment, to the point that saying Disney should've made it, is such a ridiculous notion as Disney successfully made entertainments, so well done therefore. And Ebert and Siskel (which this clip can be used for anyone who ever might've called them pretentious critics) argue it well as successful as entertainment.
Let me wait just a touch longer for that.
Jonathan:
I mean that's a fun idea I could do at some point.
Ytrewq:
I find it aggressively cruel to be perfectly honest, and timing wise, I think they jump to the "pact" a bit fast, and given timing is involved with the tragedy, it feels artificial to me in the moment because of that.
Tony:
A difficult era, as I think you see just how great his chemistry with Siskel was, as Ebert dominates in a way that I don't think he even intended so in the debate portion especially, you see where Ebert has such control over the form, he runs rings around every guest host without even doing it intentionally I would say, and I'll say even when I technically might even disagree with him.
Louis: have you watched The Curse with Emma Stone?
Yes, really enjoying it so far.
Louis: Your thoughts on these scenes from Equinox Flower.
"Yukiko and Setsuko form an "alliance"
"Ms. Hirayama and Ms. Sasaki have a talk"
"Afternoon at Hakone"
Louis: What are your thoughts on Siskel and Ebert's review of Congo? Gene's reaction to Roger saying Ernie Hudson reminded him of Clark Gable is one of my favourite moments of his ever.
Louis: thoughts on this 1990s cast for Poor Things?
Bella Baxter: Marisa Tomei
Duncan Wedderburn: John Lone
Dr. Godwin Baxter: Martin Landau
Max McCandles: Ethan Hawke
Alfie Blessington: James Spader
Harry Astley: Isaach de Bankolé
Felicity: Rosanna Arquette
Madame Swiney: Grace Zabriskie
Martha: Teresa Wright
And I was thinking, while I wouldn't really call Lanthimos' last two films 'Lynchian' or anything like that, would you say some of his new appeal for you has been akin to what Lynch does in finding the humanity and affection in the weirdness, rather than just weirdness?
8000's:
The first two scenes are where in fact Yukiko really is this long game operator, despite her extremely gentle and charming demeanour, and in each Yamamoto is particularly wonderful in conveying this sort of specific insightful, if not even dogged determination, within just this playful lovely manner. The first in making the "deal", the second in executing via her charm in creating a trap for stubborn Wataru.
The afternoon scene, shows that really Ozu's powers in visual were so specific, since when he chose to open to nature he could be as beautiful and striking as anyone with such an ease about it.
Calvin:
LOVE that cast, particularly Zabriskie, Wright, Bankole, and especially Landau and Lone. The latter I can so easily imagine selling that "ow".
And I would agree, I think that is a great way to put it, and I would say that is probably the influence of McNamara, who I really wish had written Kind of Kindness....though it will at least be interesting to see if experiences with The Favourite and Poor Things, might've changed Lanthimos's overall approach at all.
Matt:
Love these reviews where one tears the film apart without a second thought, then the other comes in seemingly having the seen the same film but coming to an almost impossibly different conclusion. In this case Ebert believing the whole film was meant to be ridiculous, especially love his way of trying to defend Amy's speech so specifically, and of course the Clark Gable comparison, with Siskel's level of disbelief is perfection. And Siskel successfully does get the last word with his "yeah have a couple of martinis".
Louis: I actually was talking about the scene with Setsuko and Yukiko's moms.
Louis: Your thoughts on the trailers for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Civil War, and Love Lies Bleeding.
Also, your take on this clip of Greta Gerwig's interview with James Cameron. https://twitter.com/StevenWallaby/status/1735766108479631732
Louis: Thoughts on Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount potentially merging.
Regarding Maestro:
Found this to be a waste of a lot of great music and potentially a great subject. Frankly watch any interview with Bernstein to get a greater insight into the man than you will here, or really any footage of him whatsoever will likely be more compelling than what we find here. Utterly fails as a biopic of Bernstein, you are granted no sense of his creative process, at least in any way that is at all cinematic, you are granted no sense of what makes him a great conductor or even musician. His world is left utterly vague, particularly what it is he did in preparing any musical piece, to the point there is no triumph in any moment when presenting or even insight, because it just is. You get at much from just watching the actual performances, making this an utter failure as such. But forget the musician, how about the man? That too is underdeveloped, as you just get some vague notions of semi-closeted eccentricity, that even that is left to be so much less than it should be. But hey if this is about the relationship between Bernstein and his wife Felicia that could be something, however much of that is told by rather rudimentary conversations, where all the meat seems skipped over for just the most obvious dramatic beats. You never really feel you truly understand or feel the pair for the majority of the film. The only part where the film finds something is when it becomes a decent cancer drama for a few scenes, not extraordinary by any means but decent.
Cooper's followup here is that of a genius filmmaker, sadly the genius is not there. Cooper seems to have no sense of how to use Bernstein's music written or conducted, rather just overlaying in certain scenes with no real sense of how they should function or amplify a scene. His big stylistic swings feel just like that, and they do feel half baked. Some there's a bit more but the technique is off. Even the much lauded cinematography is a bit uneven, though I'd say probably more in terms of Cooper's end than Libatique's. It all amounts to a lot of flash that doesn't even work as flash, it rather becomes instantly tiresome and more than a bit distracting. And just obvious overcompensation to make up for the extremely weak screenplay the film is working off of. I was genuinely very hopeful for this film, but it ends up being mostly a lot of wasted potential.
Mulligan - 3.5
Louis: Thoughts on Mulligan.
And soon as you have, thoughts on the Fassbender/Mulligan conversation.
Tony:
I'll say Axel F, didn't look terrible, which it could've easily, so I guess that's at least something, not to say it didn't look like a fairly generic action/comedy as such. Could still be terrible, but it looks better than Coming 2 America, so the foot is slightly in the right direction.
Well I'll admit my interest in Civil War after Annihilation and Men is close to nil. I didn't hate the trailer though, even if it looks like it could be potentially mining some very obvious material.
Love Lies Bleeding I thought looked like a tonal and potential story mess from the trailer...I hope this is a case just where the film is hard to market, but the way this was put together here was not good....though maybe a good role for Ed Harris? Maybe. But more interested in Drive Away Dolls between the two lesbian crime thrillers.
I mean as much as I'm not the biggest fan, he's technically not incorrect, and skill in tapping into the minds of many audiences is obviously unquestionable.
Luke:
Not good...the less studios the worse really in terms of at least taking chances with films with any kind of a budget.
Luke:
Mulligan - (Here's a performance where there's almost two separate sides to her performance, the sort of creation presentation of the historical figure, that does feel a bit artificial. And it's not that she's doing the accent it is rather the way it is implemented that feels a bit too surface oriented. Having said that her sort of silent work in terms of his emotional reactions were on the other hand consistently on point, however in the same scene I was at times being distracted by her delivery a bit I was being convinced by her expressions, which is a bit of a strange dichotomy. The latter won over just enough for me to find this a successful performance, if just enough, and a lot is helped by her final scenes in the film, which are the best scenes, perhaps in a way helped by the fact that she pulls back on the voice a bit, ostensibly to portray the physical fatigue, but in the moment made the work feel the most completely genuine to me.)
I did enjoy how Mulligan seemed to be still gunning for a Fincher role at some point by praising him so much and stating her love of many takes. But they have a good friendly chemistry, particularly enjoyed the discussion of his racing attempts, particular Fassbender's admittance at being better at acting. But it was also interesting to hear the breakdowns around the central character of the killer, as many things mentioned are thoughts I had before hearing Fassbender discuss the ideas.
Oh no...please let Murphy or Giamatti win then.
My thoughts are similar to Louis’s, I understand wanting to focus on one aspect of the subject’s life rather than try and cover everything, but if the story is just going to be about a marriage than why does it even need to be a Leonard Bernstein biopic?
That being said, I’d actually go a little higher for Mulligan, who I thought was decent in the first half of the film and excellent in the latter half.
I’ll also say that while I don’t think Cooper gives a great performance, I would still probably rank him above DiCaprio.
1. Dutt
2. Orser
3. Bogosian
4. Fishburne
5. Dano
Post a Comment