Best Scene: Making recommendations to his nephew.
4. Kyle MacLachlan in Blue Velvet - MacLachlan gives a strange performance, however one that works for me in truly putting a certain kind of earnestness in a completely inappropriate plot.
Best Scene: After love letters.
3. Roberto Benigni in Down By Law - The ideal use of Benigni as his every direction energy is the right off-beat for Jarmusch's filmmaking style.
Best Scene: Italian Restaurant.
2. Erland Josephson in The Sacrifice - Josephson delivers a powerful portrayal of one forced away from distant observation to face seemingly certain death.
Best Scene: A prayer.
1. River Phoenix in Stand By Me - Phoenix gives an altogether amazing performance, where he brings a true charisma and maturity, but also a real vulnerability and even appropriate childishness.
Best Scene: The milk money story.
Next: Backlog, and feel free to go ahead with recommendations (My order of viewing will not be by order of comment this year however.)
77 comments:
Legend (1985)
Director's Cut
My recommendation is the animated film 'Liz and the Blue Bird' (2018).
My recommendation is Masters Of The Universe (1987)
Tatsuya Nakadai in Kill!
Alan Cumming in Josie And The Pussycats
Stacy Keach/Christopher Plummer in Conduct Unbecoming
John Guelgud in Prospero's Books
Choose whomever for the 5th review, I desperately want the other 4 to be completed.
Ratings And thoughts on the rest of the lead performances.
And your wins.
How about Smooth Talk from 1985?
Ratings And thoughts on:
Spacek, Keaton and Lange in Crimes Of The Heart
Farrah Fawcett in Extremities
Beatrice Dalle in Betty Blue
Spacek and Bancroft in 'Night, Mother
The Green Ray cast
Better Midler and Helen Slater in Ruthless People
Julie Andrews in That's Life!
Kati Outinen in Shadows In Paradise
Ana Beatriz Nogueira in Vera
Barbara Sukowa in Rosa Luxemburg
Fernanda Torres in Love Me Forever Or Never
Kathleen Turner in Peggy Sue Got Married
I'll go with Shaun The Sheep Movie (2015).
I'll go with my secondary recommendation from previous year - The Fall of the House of Usher miniseries (2023). Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood are sensational in it.
I recommend a re-watch of King Kong (2005).
I recommend season 1 of Boardwalk Empire.
I'll recommend The Triplets Of Belleville (2003).
still kinda want you to see Pearl Harbor
My recommendation is Ernest & Celestine (2012), either French or English will suffice.
Louis: My birthday recommendation for June 15th is Wallace And Gromit: A Matter Of Loaf And Death (2008).
Mustn't forget my birthday recommendation in March which is Toby Dammit (1968).
In The Soup (1992), Cassel gives a great performance.
Some recommendations from Brazil:
- São Paulo, Incorporated (1965)
- The Deceased (1965)
- The Priest and the Girl (1966)
- Brainstorm (2000)
- To the Left of the Father (2001)
My recommendation is Let's Go With Pancho Villa! (1936)
Or would it be better to leave that for the 1936 Bonus Rounds? Just realized those are yet to come.
My recommendation is the Ted series. For me, it's the surprise of the year; it was much more entertaining than I imagined. It's worth watching for those who enjoyed both films or Seth MacFarlane's humor. It's perfect to watch at the end of the year or a week before the Oscar nominees are announced.
Ewan McGregor - The Ghost Writer
Louis: Your #6-#10 for Director in 1986.
I have MacLachlan sitting at a 4 right now, a rewatch could help or hurt him.
Louis: What are your 1986 Actress and Best Supporting Actress top 10s with ratings?
Delighted you have given Queen the song win.
Hello Louis!
Tell me from the year 1986 which are your Top 10 with ranking of:
- Song
- Score
- Poster
- Editing
- Screenplays (adapted and original)
- Cast
Michael: Can we wait on that until Louis finishes 1986. Only for this year because there's a lot more I want Louis to see before posting the ranking.
Tony Leung - In the Mood For Love to Backlog.
Please Louis
David: Second on that In The Soup recommendation. Cassel is worth a review if you ask me.
Louis: I'm surprised When The Wind Blows didn't make your top 25.
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the cast of Pearl Harbor.
Recommendation: Matinee (1993)
Should note: I have not seen Smooth Talk all the way through. Not have I seen After Life from 1999, which is the other one I’m curious about your thoughts.
*Nor
On Pearl Harbor, I'm stunned that Ben Affleck managed to take the bottom spot from Penn.
I'll recommend the 1929 classic Man with the Movie Camera.
I'll leave a few Japanese recommendations from years you've covered, and you can just pick whichever one interests you:
Forever a Woman (1955)
Shall We Dance? (1996)
Round About Midnight (1999)
Kikujiro (1999)
I recommend Flash Gordon (1980) just so Louis can consider the Queen song.
Louis: 32. Yves Montand in Manon Des Sources needs fixed.
Louis: Your cast & director for…
1950s Juror #2
1990s The Order
1940s Blitz
Feels so weird seeing Better Man as a potential Oscar nominee for song, like are many people that arent from the UK familiar with Robbie Williams? I always thought he was one of many British exports who kinda flopped in the USA.
As for the Oscars, Edward Norton I don't think has ever been snubbed by the Academy when he is in contention, so I feel like they really like him.
Louis: If it's ok, I think I'll change my recommendation to The Place Without Limits (1978) and use instead a remaining request for Antonio R. Fraustro as in Let's Go With Pancho Villa! (1936, Lead)
Louis: Err yikes can't really think of anything to be honest lol seems like you have a lot on your plate anyway.
Luke:
Walken - 4.5(Walken is the best part of the film by probably by too wide of a margin. Regardless, Walken is terrific in bringing the ease to the character's insidiousness. Walken doesn't portray it as something the character has to think about rather it is just something he goes about with without hesitation. What is so effective about his work is the believable way he brings this pseudo fatherly energy, but we see in every coy smile not a falseness but rather just a man who cares less about than he cares about himself. When the even worse sides of the character reveal themselves it isn't this severe transformation rather Walken presents it with the similar demeanor just taken a step more towards this kind of viciousness that he calls upon with a considerable ease. Walken showing the worse acts with this certain hollowness, even when killing his own family, Walken's work isn't with hesitation just )
Buscemi - 4(You see just the qualities of a remarkable actor in the performance, particularly in the contrast with the, not terrible but far less notable work of the rest of the cast. Buscemi is just working on another level, because he does have similar dialogue which are often rumblings of various things, something that Buscemi does better than anyone already by bringing a bit more of a causal energy to each line making it less declarations and more honest to how someone would talk about something. Buscemi goes further by keeping the character's AIDS diagnosis as an understated truth that is just the manner of the man, where that thought always seems within him, even when he's not directly talking.)
DeVito - 4(In a way you see some elements of Frank Reynolds with the unabashedly shameless nature of the character, and that is where DeVito is pretty hilarious for much of the film just by being so aggressively blunt in every thing he says and does that is so severely amoral. DeVito is just let loose in the first half and is hilarious through his precise delivery. Sadly the film does less with him later on but he definitely is the best thing about the film by far.)
Byrne - 4(Completely rock solid thriller protagonist performance in going from just the "cool" reporter to becoming the genuinely concerned investigator trying to figure out what is going on. Although the idea of his arc could've been hit harder script wise, Byrne does quite a lot to convey the sense of urgency and actual conviction in his performance to do right even when the writing is less compelling.)
Anglade - 4(Much of it is made from his chemistry with his co-star, and the scenes of being generally lovers with some scenes I've never doubted more of merely being "simulated". They have a natural energy together that is engaging and captivating just by them being them. When the film takes its turn Anglade is the far more successful performer in terms of selling the dramatic through the burden of the situation coming through and the intensity he brings in his heartbreak is most convincing. A particularly important facet being that this is where his co-star falls a bit short.)
Pellonpää - 4(Passively romantic in a way that works, in having this odd charm about his work even as he is very convincing at being a bit of a stubborn jerk at the same time. His performance carries a naturally convincing quality that makes it work simply because it is so easy to believe this man as he is.)
Eastwood - 4(Eastwood just being a hardass, which delivers plenty of entertainment value through his series of tough guy sneers and blunt line deliveries, where he certainly more than sells every single insult.)
Hogan - 4(The film would be completely horrid if it were not for Hogan, because Hogan is genuinely charming and sells the scenario way more than most performers should have been able to do. He naturally delivers on being both tough and naiveté, comedic and romantic. Hogan just does it with an ease that does make the character work in himself, even if I don't think the film puts him into particularly interesting scenarios.)
De Lint - 3(Fine to a fault in a way in that he's believable enough but his passive energy just doesn't make the film come to life.)
Pan Chacon - 3(Overshadowed very much by Torres who just conveys so much more throughout the film, where Chacon is *fine* but his own work doesn't really come to life particularly due to that contrast with Torres.)
Depardieu & Blanc - 3(I mean both are going about selling the main bit with Depardieu doing so in an overt way while Blanc does it in a meek way. I just don't care much for the bit and the two's work becomes pretty repetitive after a while. Fundamentally though I suppose it is just not funny but more so there's no reality to their work at a fundamental level. I do think this is mainly the approach of the film that is the problem, however they didn't rise above it for me either.)
Penn - 3(Actually not super hammy Penn, though mostly he's goes from being okay to kind of boring here. We don't get enough sense from his performance where he really exists exactly within the scheme of this world and too often seems just a little vague. I think his last scene with Walken works a bit better but most of the time he's overshadowed to a degree that wasn't really necessary.)
Ganoung & Bolger - 2.5(Both aren't terrible, just kind of bland particularly if you compare their work to Buscemi's.)
Reinhold - 2(Not exactly fully capable of being the lead here, just seems a little too "goody two shoes" and doesn't really sell enough of the comedy consistently.. Playing a little too much in the center to be a proper straight man or a goofball trying to be a crook.)
Russo - 2(Just a ridiculous performance that isn't really helped by the film that wants him to be basically the same thing throughout, and in such a contrived, ridiculous way. But Russo doesn't help matters playing thick into caricature instead and not ever coming to life as beyond a symbol. Although even a symbol he's also severely underwhelming.)
Lemmon - 2(Refer to his review for Tribute)
Spacek - 4.5(Her character is utterly ridiculous in terms of the writing behind her where they throw so many elements in there it becomes much more a writer's contrived idea of a repressed traumatized woman. It is absurdly over the top, though that is part of the reason why I was impressed by Spacek's work in that I found she managed to avoid being fully sucked into the ridiculousness herself. Although this is only purely because of that specific honesty that Spacek has as a performer, which made me convinced of her own work even if I wasn't convinced by her character. I believed the emotions she was presenting in the moment, even if it cannot add up to more than that due to the script she's working with. I'll note particularly the attempted suicide scene where Spacek's presentation of her shamed disbelief at herself even if the notion and reaction as written felt ridiculous.)
Keaton - 3.5(Her part is particularly lackluster, which is saying something within the grand scheme of the film, but like Spacek it is her innate presence that pulled her through for me to an extent. Keaton as the modest and downtrodden sister, Keaton brings her natural presence to that comedy, even when selling terrible jokes that are made better by Keaton.)
Lange - 2(Now Lange on the other hand goes hard into playing right into the material with a cloying intensity where she is indeed cloying. Exacerbated is how her whole southern routine felt aggressively forced and not believable for even a moment.)
Fawcett - 3(She's actually not horrible as forced as the film feels and as much as it feels like previously known television actresses being dramatic within the film to present as this ardent dramatic actress.
Dalle - 3.5(When just playing straight as the lover with Anglade she brings a delightful energy and together there is such a potent expression of lust and love between them. When she needs to portray the mental illness of the character that is where she begins to struggle and she just isn't terribly convincing. Stops feeling like a person and more so almost an odd object in the attempted depiction. Thankfully most of her performance isn't on that note, but it's not a great note.)
Spacek and Bancroft - 4.5(Spacek work here again thrives though actually her performance is actually rather different in presenting the young woman who has come to accept her purpose, unfortunately the purpose is her own suicide. Something that Spacek portrays with an eerie certainty and concentration of someone who is clearly relieved in her own mind that she has so much come to terms with this choice that it gives her this strange kind of freedom. Spacek doesn't make this something blithe however, showing rather it being the created cover, though not quite facade, on top of the troubled woman. There Spacek occasionally brings the moments of the life of anguish and frustration that she portrays as the motivation as she chooses her method with that confidence. This is in contrast to Bancroft who portrays someone who has no idea what's going on and while her constructed character does feel a little much at first, as the film goes on you do see the purpose for this. Bancroft in fact uses the opening sort of constructed woman as the presentation to the public view of just going on in life, and her making us more comfortable with this presentation, that coincides with her becoming more aware of the situation. There Bancroft's work becomes rather powerful the more in depth and connected towards the situation she becomes.)
The Green Ray cast is all naturalistic and works to that very specific tone like every other Rohmer film I've seen.
Midler - 3(Her over the top first half as the screeching wife didn't really work for me at all. When she begins working with her kidnappers there Midler is far more effective and gives some decent moments in portraying at least something vaguely genuine even within the scheme of the film where that really isn't the intention at all.)
Slater - 2.5(My feelings towards her on a less logical level aside, I wouldn't say her performance is particularly dynamic in fact she seems maybe overly detached from the events, having said that she is indeed extremely adorable when she comes to Midler's character's with her designs, and part of that is her acting...part of it.)
Andrews - 4(Embodied well my own reaction to Lemmon through much of the room which is that of just quiet exasperation. She portrays well the subtleties of having something weighing on your mind constantly while dealing with a variety of things. This never leaves her and she layers this within the rest of her scenes, which creates an honesty that feels so lacking from much of the rest of the film. She's convincing in creating the tangible state of her character and grants anything to the rest of the proceedings which is quite the accomplishment all on her own.)
Louis: Lowest 3.5, 3 and 2.5 on this list?
Luke:
I am aware of the actresses I didn't include yet just taking a break before I finish them.
Shaggy:
6. Rob Reiner - Stand By Me
7. Oliver Stone - Platoon
8. Jim Jarmusch - Down By Law
9. Michael Mann - Manhunter
10. John Musker, Ron Clements, Dave Michener & Burny Mattinson - The Great Mouse Detective
Michael Patison:
Actress:
1. Sigourney Weaver - Aliens
2. Marlee Matlin - Children of a Lesser God
3. Fernanda Torres - Love Me Forever Or Love Me Never
4. Geena Davis - The Fly
5. Sissy Spacek - 'Night Mother
6. Ana Beatriz Nogueira - Vera - 4.5
7. Barbara Sukowa - Rosa Luxemburg
8. Kati Outinen - Shadows in Paradise - 4.5
9. Anne Bancroft - 'Night Mother
10. Peggy Ashcroft - When the Wind Blows
Supporting Actress:
1. Isabella Rossellini - Blue Velvet
2. Dianne Wiest - Hannah And Her Sisters
3. Cathy Tyson - Mona Lisa
4. Laura Dern - Blue Velvet
5. Barbara Hershey - Hannah and her Sisters
6. Helen Mirren - The Mosquito Coast
7. Guðrún GÃsladóttir - The Sacrifice
8. Monique van de Ven - The Assault - 4
9. Joan Allen - Manhunter
10. Susan Fleetwood - The Sacrifice
Note: I've always given the actresses standings after lead in past years, and will update if I see any performances afterwards when I get around to supporting.
Louis: Where would you rank Chloe Webb in Sid & Nancy & Sissy Spacek in Crimes Of The Heart and your rating for Joan Allen in Manhunter.
Louis: Is Matlin still a 4.5 or has she been upgraded.
Louis, what's your rating and thoughts on Barbara Hershey in Hannah and her Sisters.
Brazinterma:
Song:
1. "Who Wants To Live Forever" - Highlander
2. "Goodbye So Soon" - The Great Mouse Detective
3. "Mysteries of Love" - Blue Velvet
4. "Take My Breath Away" - Top Gun
5. "It's in the Way That Use It" - The Color of Money
6. "Somewhere Out There" - An American Tail
7. "Kiss" - Under the Cherry Moon
8. "Mean Green Mother From Outerspace" - Little Shop of Horrors
9. "As the World Falls Down" - Labyrinth
10. "Let Me Be Good To You" - The Great Mouse Detective
Score:
6. The Great Mouse Detective
7. Manhunter
8. An American Tail
9. Manon des Sources
10. Hoosiers
Poster:
1. The Fly
2. An American Tail (Feet)
3. April Fool's Day
4. From Beyond
5. Psycho III
6. Sid & Nancy
7. The Hitcher
8. Hoosiers
9. The Mission (Waterfall)
10. Stand By Me
Editing:
1. Aliens
2. Platoon
3. Manhunter
4. Blue Velvet
5. Big Trouble in Little China
6. Mona Lisa
7. Jean De Florette
8. The Fly
9. Little Shop of Horrors
10. Stand By Me
Adapted:
6. When The Wind Blows
7. Manhunter
8. Little Shop of Horrors
9. Manon des Sources
10. The Mosquito Coast
Original:
6. Mona Lisa
7. Hannah and Her Sisters
8. The Green Ray
9. Salvador
10. Sid and Nancy
Ensemble:
1. Blue Velvet
2. Jean de Florette
3. Hannah and Her Sisters
4. Mona Lisa
5. Stand By Me
6. Manon Des Sources
7. Aliens
8. Manhunter
9. The Sacrifice
10. The Mosquito Coast
Mean Green Mother at only #8?!
Luke:
Might as well wait for more specifics until supporting.
Anonymous:
I plan to re-watch it along with other 86 films during this period of wait.
Robert:
I LOVE the introduction, particularly the instrumentation of it. And I like the catchy chorus as well. I don't love the middle rambling bit as much, not that I think it is bad, and I suppose I shouldn't' complain much though as added to musical songs go, it's actually good, AND is implemented well within the film/story.
Bryan:
Juror #2 directed by Billy Wilder:
Justin Kemp: Kirk Douglas
Faith Killebrew: Barbara Stanwyck
Harold: William Frawley
Eric Resnick: Eddie Albert
James Michael Sythe: Jack Warden
Ally: Janet Leigh
Marcus: Ossie Davis
Larry Lasker: Raymond Massey
The Order 1990's directed by Jonathan Demme:
Terry Husk: Harrison Ford
Bob Mathews: Tom Cruise
Jamie Bowen: Brendan Fraser
Joanne Carney: Angela Bassett
Alan Berg: Judd Hirsch
Richard Butler: Jason Robards
Blitz 1940's Powell and Pressburger:
Rita: Deborah Kerr
Jack: Richard Attenborough
Ife: Earl Cameron
Beryl: Margaret Rutherford
Gerald: C. Aubrey Smith
Albert: Cecil Kellaway
Louis: Fair enough, though I've also heard the two prototype versions of the song so I've come to appreciate how much work Menken and Ashman put into crafting it. If you're curious:
Bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECJebJgzPd0
Bad Like Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTfb72h6rMY
Another note: What do you think of Barbara Hershey in the 80's? Because within the last few months I've rewatched Hannah and Her Sisters and seen The Entity and The Stunt Man, and now I feel like I'm kind of gigantic fan.
Yeah I watched Hannah and Her Sisters recently too and if either Hershey or Wiest had to win, I would've gone with Hershey. Caine's performance doesn't work without her.
(Incidentally she's charming as all hell in Hoosiers too, despite it very much being Hackman's movie through and through.)
Louis, thoughts on the trailer for “28 Years Later”?
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the cast of Lee?
That 28 Years Later trailer is straight up amazing. Hopefully Garland can nail the third act this time.
your thoughts on the Screenplay of Stand By Me and the cinematography of Pearl Harbor?
Louis, may I ask in what order you're planning on tackling the recommendations? Do you have a set schedule in mind?
Luke:
Outinen - (Her performance embodies the style of the piece especially well and in a way works purposefully to fill in a few of the gaps that are perhaps purposefully left by the often more retiring male lead. Outinen brings a quiet power to her performance in bringing so much within her performance. Although her work stays fairly quietly she reflects this internal life so potently in the way we see her explore each hardship and possible advancement so often in reactions rather than what is spoken. She thrives with what is this silence creating a moving portrayal of someone looking for some kind of solace within such a desperate state, even as the desperation never overwhelms her it is always a natural part of Outinen's performance.)
Nogueira - (Convincing in a general sense but more importantly doesn't perform the role either as an overt performance nor as this victim striving for empathy. Nogueira's portrayal rather is wholly measured. Doesn't overplay the fundamental element in any way, rather takes a low key approach that is quietly believable. Nogueira's work goes beyond this showing the complications of the person that doesn't have anything to do with what separates them by showing just the interactions with potential romantic relationships for example, where Nogueira shows genuine lusts, and even controlling attitude at times without falling into easy choices for the character. When even directly dealing with the hardships it would be easy enough to one note anguish, but Nogueira again balances the elements to certainly portray that sense of desperation however mixed in with so much more hope along with more ferocious frustration and anger. Nogueira consistently finds the nuance and complexity of the role, and it is only a shame the film gets a little lost in the stylistic swings that limits this performance to an extent.)
Sukowa - (Very much your leading crusader performance however Sukowa completely devotes herself to the role to amplify the rather rote tendencies of the script. Her performance brings the conviction to such a part and particularly the slowly growing charisma of her character as she becomes more part of her movement. At the same time she brings an honest reality to the weight of the persecution of her character showing particularly late on the degradation that takes place mentally even if that conviction within herself is a constant. She is completely believable throughout and adds any substance that is in the film because of her performance.)
Torres - (Exceptional work in terms of embodying each aspect of the relationship so potently and with such dynamic charisma. When we see them early on as just bitter, Torres brings that sense of history within every reaction and line of a long spent relationship. When there is some sense of their old warmth together, Torres finds that as effectively as the quiet warmth between them just gently found the two people that creates the sense of their old affection. When they find their sexual attraction for one another Torres brings this wholly to life in the ferocity and specific intensity behind it. Every aspect of the unraveling she is able to accentuate with an honest truth through her performance that is also rather captivating to watch.)
Turner - 4(Can't quite co-sign on the Siskel and Ebert view that her performance magically shifts from young to old at a moments notice, as I did always see very much the older woman throughout, perhaps explaining why Cage took such an extreme ploy to seem younger. Having said that, Turner does find the right tone for the material where she manages to be earnest but without going overboard. Finding this quality of reflection more often than not, a reflection that she plays in moments of intrigue, of heartbreak, of connection, each that she finds with the sense of the commentary of the older woman being able to act through her younger self. What works about the film is through her performance that finds and maintains the tone even when working with some wild swings.)
Affleck - (He does indeed dethrone Penn as nadir, though not responsible for Gene Hackman being snubbed so nonsensically, anyway. Affleck though is just all wrong here from his over the top accent, to his completely misguided attempts to being earnest that just seems false and phony every step of the way. He flops at trying to be romantic, trying to be cool, trying to be tough or emotional. Every choice is awkward and completely in the wrong direction consistently. He seems like the bad actor in a fake WWII propaganda film, as frankly the performances in the real films from that era have more depth)
Hartnett - (He's marginally better than Affleck in that he's not as awkward, but he's also pretty bad here in the same way.)
Beckinsale - 1.5(Stiff and awkward herself. Just sticks out as she fails to sell any of the lines with any depth or even the vaguest reality.)
Garner - 1(Wouldn't usually take the time but her reactions are just extra over the top and bad.)
Baldwin - (Tries slightly harder than the leads, but still feels misguided.)
Voight - (2001 was just a year for bad makeup jobs on Voight and just over the top impressions from him. Thankfully he wasn't Oscar nominated for this one, but he's similarly bad here.)
Anonymous:
Winslet - 2.5(The more I thought about this performance the less I liked it. The whole performance feels too much of a passion project performance in a way as Winlset just is aggressively over the top in just brassiness of Lee being too much of this put on. She doesn't let us believe her then bring these qualities out, she just always seems to be putting on more than is really convincing in any given scene. There's being genuinely forthright and acting forthright, which Winslet feels very much acted here. So many moments that should be emotional just feel contrived in the writing and direction to be fair, but Winlset doesn't help matters frequently playing to the most obvious choice and beat that overplays her hand. Winslet does have some decent moments in there, but more often than not this feels like a talented performer without proper direction.)
Skarsgard - 2.5(Extremely standard husband role and Skarsgard doesn't add much to it.)
O'Connor - 2.5(Completely terrible framing device character and his performance is forced to be false to make that device setup work. Well it doesn't work and O'Connor's in a bad role.)
Samberg - 2.5(Way overdoes the accent in his earliest scenes to the point he just drops it later on. Samberg actually is okay once he does so and does actually become relatively convincing in a dramatic sense. Particularly the later scenes of the film.
Louis: Since a lot of your all-time favorite songs are from the 1980s, I was wondering, what are some of your favorite non-film songs from the 90s onward? Doesn't have to be a top 10 list or a ranked one.
Regarding Maria,
Well color me surprised, not only because I really liked this but also thought it was the best of LarraÃn's iconic women trilogy, and in fact it is my favorite LarraÃn. Although full disclosure I actively disliked Spencer, and didn't love Jackie as many did. Of course it's beautiful to look at, as all three have been, with exceptional cinematography by Lachman but also just a fantastic aesthetic across the board. I will say if Netflix gets Emilia Perez the cinematography nomination over this, that will be atrocious. Anyway, thought this was one of Knight's best screenplays in a long while, and while there is still the occasional Knight who wrote Serenity in here "your voice is in heaven", I thought even lines like that fit the romantic tone. A film that while covering the burden of fame, the exploitation of it, and the inability to live up to one's image. It also is ode to a singular talent, with a fervent romanticism that I found most poignant. I especially loved, the inclusion of the two ever loving domestic servants, though in fact exist as the purest of all of Callas's fans. I loved LarraÃn's technique here in changing the aesthetic to represent the mood, whether it be the most of that uncompromised beauty in the most luscious and sweeping moments, to the starker black and white when the burdens weigh the most on Callas. Bringing us into Callas's mind here, not as a prison, like in Spencer, but frequently as glorious escape. A genuine surprise in a year of cinematic disappointments for me. I'm honestly a little baffled that this is consider the least of the trilogy, and that Netflix isn't pushing this as their number one horse, a true shame as I found so much to adore here.
Jolie - 5
Favino - 4
Rohrwacher - 4
Bilginer - 4
Smit-McPhee - 3
Golino - 3.5
Phillipson - 3
A pleasant surprise indeed. Thoughts on Jolie and the 4s?
Louis, does Jolie usurp Madison as your favourite lead performance by an actress this year?
Can someone tell me if In Too Deep by Genesis is an original song?
Shaggy: It was written for the film but it also appeared on a proper album the same year so it depends on how much of a stickler you are about that.
Louis: What are your thoughts on the rest of the cast of Maria?
Robert:
I mean I like Hershey well enough. I feel like I should get to Shy People at some point, given she won CANNES back to back.
J96:
An incredible trailer just in terms of creating such captivating imagery with such intensity, and I will say seemingly opening it up to such world building seems most promising. Having said that, Garland's third act problem is a problem, but recently he's had a 1st and 2nd act problem. Hopefully Boyle returns him to a superior form.
Will get to all other thoughts, but wanted to start the lineup.
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