Rating predictions Leung - 5 (Reviewing him much sooner than I thought he would gives me belief he's going up) Cumming - 4.5/5 Hoffman - 4 Owen - 4 Gallo - 3.5
Luke: Dennehy. The casual playfulness of his approach elevated him to being a pretty good villain. No snarling or shouting. Me and my dad both started laughing at how he rolled his eyes when he saw two of his men dead near the end.
Linda Hunt is also pretty great. Costner could have been MVP if they gave him more screentime, he's surprisingly good as a childish wild card.
Stand By Me's screenplay finds the right balance in adaptation where the novella's darker elements are not fully lost but regulated in a way that doesn't diminish those elements, while also preventing them from being weighed down on them. The last speech which is very different from the novella is the most notable example of this, given two of the characters don't also die brutal deaths with this seeming curse associated with the discovery of the body, and that seems excessive even in novella form, I think would come off as nearly ridiculous in a film. The remarkable aspect of the screenplay is it doesn't diminish the melancholy by removing the deaths, rather the separation of them over years creates that feeling and how each boy went their path services this as powerfully, and perhaps more practically in terms of maintaining a certain reality within the film. The fate of Chris is enough, and even that I prefer just the slight changes there to the age of Chris, where he had successfully got somewhere in life before the tragedy rather than it seeming just another blunt twist of fate. The final speech embodies more than loss as there is also the treasuring of the old nostalgia, that is as well as the pain of the past and those final words find that so poignantly. The rest of the film maintains the structure more or less, and much of the content, though with the specific efficiency of a film, though this isn't an instance where the aspects seem rushed. We experience the world of the boys, with good and bad. there is an essential balance to interweaving that with the general forward momentum of the "adventure" to finding the body. It's a strong adaptation, because it captures what works within the source material, while finding the appropriate changes to make something that would work cinematically.
Pearl Harbor's cinematography is perhaps an example where maybe you can parse out a bit between direction and the cinematography. Because there is much that is of quality in terms of the dramatic lighting, within the grandiose sweeping shots of intense militarism and Americana, however never was there something that Bay didn't know how to overdo because there is a tendency to saturate the frame with stuff more often than not, while of course having a few Bay cliches thrown in there such as just how much Hartnett and Affleck are glistening with their sweat at a near constant rate. And while Schwartzman worked with Bay before, those qualities of Bay are evident with or without him. I'd say this is probably one of the better examples of finding some theoretically remarkable elements of shots in certain sequences, though again over editing and just Bay throwing too much at once doesn't quite make it all as impactful as it probably should be because the shots are not consistent. There are moments where Schwartzman makes it all come together and is able to get the Bay excess into something visually striking, but it is more than a little unwieldy.
Jolie - (Her performance is very much the best of her particular type of presence, where Jolie has a very particular control and exact manner in her performances. This is perfect for Callas, the singer with great vocal control and a precise manner as a person. She thrives in the role crafting the unique mannerism and accent of Callas. Jolie does this with particular ease but there's also such innate power of personality through the usage of the aggressively patrician manner and purposeful exceptional clarity of her voice. Jolie is just innately captivating here as she just runs away with every scene by being such a powerhouse of a personality every second she's on screen. Even when she's not singing she brings in the charisma of someone who just brings others into watch her be as she is and every moment of that. Jolie only begins with this quality, which is quite a lot already however, and brings so much more in realizing the different aspects of Callas beyond the image, even if she is that image so potently. Whether that be with her servants, where she's still her but the intensity is let up just a bit to suggest the quieter modest woman of one time, where she has great chemistry with both where she manages to be parent, child and employer so fluidly in their interactions together. She is convincing when she is commanding as when she is the one who is almost petulantly folding into her own insecurities. The moment of insecurities Jolie makes is so pointed as we see really the ferocity of her heartache whether it be when challenged on her illness by bystander where the defensiveness is so strong, or those aforementioned moments with the servants or the interviewer, where Jolie brings such an incredible vulnerability. There is a certain purposeful performative quality even in these moments, however that to me is part of the greatness of this performance, because what Jolie does is present this as the way Callas navigates the world, which is to be the tragic heroine of the opera herself. Something that could be contrived, however it is Jolie's performance that makes it so convincing one because she is just simply captivating as such but shows the way Callas wants to wear these emotions upon her as a spiritualistic expression of her deepest self as she sees it. Speaking of, the singing is of course dubbed, but dubbing is always in the details, and this would be one of the great examples of it, because Jolie's physical performance never stops. The moment we see her, depending on the time the situation, Jolie shows these transformations in Callas's moments of effortless command of the past, against the later scenes of the waning voice, where Jolie portrays a great need to perform, and the emotions that are much more vulnerable. Jolie is always as present as the voice, and while it isn't her own voice, the power of the moments of the voice still very much come from her.)
Favino - (In a way the Anti-Spall from Spencer, as his butler is one of constant care and concern. His work very much is in silent reactions where he brings the great combination between concern, with a bit of a critique, however never as a hostile man but rather that of a sincerely caring father.)
Rohrwacher - (Very much the often silent compliment as the caring mother, though she is more subdued as such yet evokes it as potently in terms of seeing her constantly as this force of care for Callas.)
Bilginer - (A role that I think could have easily been the one note jerk, given much of what he does is being a jerk and overtly so. Bilginer though manages to find a convincing charisma that isn't so much charm in the traditional sense of being likable, but rather just his bluntness has a strange appeal to it. He makes it work and manages to convey a certain strange sense of interest in the man, despite obviously being extremely flawed, and makes for atypical love but one that ends up working.)
Smit-McPhee - (Brings a certain enigmatic quality that I think works just fine in a purposeful choice, that probably is the biggest risk in a certain serenity like sense, however this one worked for me, though more so due to the direction than Smit-McPhee who I think is just fine but not more than that.)
Golino - (More than anything she does instantly establishes the sense of history with Jolie, and you believe their connection with a sense of conflict but affection at the same time. Quick, but quickly does what is needed for the part.)
Phillipson - (Funny that he gets to talk here rather than his performance in Jackie, and to actually more overtly act as JFK, found him convincing enough, even if the nature of the role is purposefully limited.)
I'm currently watching Poker Face and enjoying it (Lyonne is great) but I have to say it has so far not even come close to living up to how AMAZING the first episode was.
Michael: Unfortunately, I never asked him at the time, only went as far as a top 5.
Prior to Dern, his top 5 were: 1. Geraldine Page in The Trip To Bountiful (5) 2. Norma Aleandro in The Official Story (5) 3. Cher in Mask (5) 4. Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple (5) 5. Mia Farrow in The Purple Rose Of Cairo (4.5)
Louis: here are my recommendations for the years you have already covered: -Il Marchese del Grillo (1981), it’s probably Alberto Sordi’s most known role in Italy. -The Travelling Players (1975) -some Wiseman docs: Welfare (1975)/Belfast Maine (1999)/Domestic Violence (2001)
I’ve also got some recommendations for 2024 movies: -The Girl with the Needle (Dyrholm is a guaranteed 5 in my opinion) -Grand Tour -Vermiglio -Vogter (not as good as The Guilty, but it’s still great, Knudsen is extraordinary in the leading role)
My 2024 recommendation for 2024 is Cuckoo, if only to see how brilliant Hunter Schafer is as a performer. Dan Stevens also gives a fun creepy turn in that, I wouldn’t hate to see him reviewed.
Since we're on the topic of 1985, I just watched Death of a Salesman from that year. A bit stagy, but overall it's an effective adaptation.
Hoffman-4.5 Malkovich-4.5 (I swear this guy became a completely different person once 1990s rolled around) Reid-3.5 Lang-3.5 Durning, Zorich and Polito-3
Regarding Queer, hmm, I feel pretty similar to this as I do Naked Lunch, so really maybe much of my hesitation has more to do with Burroughs than either Guadagnino or Cronenberg...or maybe no filmmaker has fully cracked the adaptation. As like Naked Lunch, I found myself compelled then repelled, compelled while being repelled, and sometimes just repelled pretty randomly throughout, although there are a few consistent factors such as the production design and general aesthetic that I can appreciate, though some use of VFX I didn't love. The biggest swings went either way for the most part. But there were a few elements I think could've been better even disregarding the overall strangeness of the piece, such as the first act could've easily been trimmed, when the film announced chapter 2, I couldn't help but think THAT WAS ONLY CHAPTER 1 because it does feel very drawn out, particularly given how short the next chapters are by comparison, and Drew Starkey honestly I don't think delivers. To be fair to him, the role is an enigma, but I thought he played the part excessively vague, as though he didn't know what was going with his character either, leaving him a bit too overshadowed within the scheme of the story. The is a film though I could go piece meal in the elements I loved, or were at least intrigued by, to those that didn't work for me, and seeing where Guadagnino thrives and struggled to enliven the specific strangeness of Burroughs narrative. I certainly don't hate the film, but I can't say I love it either...a bit like Naked Lunch...however this title is more accurate.
I had a similar reaction to Queer, I also thought Craig was a mixed bag. Certainly plenty of good moments, and also quite a few that I found way overblown. I also thought Schwartzman’s casting in particular was really odd, that character could have been a refreshing bright spot with a more innately likable actor.
I wasn't the biggest fan of this section of Cobra Kai, as so much felt like wheel turning in terms of the conflicts and does indeed feel drawn out rather than just getting to the point at this point. And like season 2, the huge brawl again wasn't my favorite choice because it suggests that karate is almost an infectious hysteria that should be banned, particularly after this finale. I think it can still come together by the end, and I'll say I found it watchable enough still, however this was for me one of the weakest set of episodes of the series.
Cast wise no one stood out too much, probably Yuji Okumoto would be my relative standout.
Robert:
We'll see if I have time.
Marcus:
The most pivotal of all biopics obviously, so naturally David Lynch and Kyle MacLachlan.
Bryan:
Boudu Saved From Drowning Fat City Straight Time
Dirk:
Manville - (A bizarre over the top performance, however won that worked for me in terms of just owning the strangeness of the woman who has been deep in the jungle too long, and honestly doesn't play the role all that differently than if she was playing a mythological witch. It worked for me though in managing to find enough of an effective tone in being slightly comical, yet there's hints of depth in her curiosities and her words towards Lee.)
Schwartzman - (I will concur with Michael, this character could have offered a respite and at the very least a contrast to Craig. But Schwartzman is overly fussy in the part and just kind of adds tension to his scenes where a relief I think would've been better suited. Past that it also just feels very performative from him in terms of playing a homosexual character, and maybe not in your traditional over the top way, but still in a pretty obvious way.)
Starkey - (The character basically is "handsome stranger" and well Starkey doesn't really do anything with it in my mind. He's just kind of there most of the time, going through the scenes. He's not actively bad, he's just going along in the scenes and doesn't make his character allude to anything more than just a surface object of desire.)
Louis: I really thought she'd place higher than Goldberg.
I'll ask for thoughts on the cast whenever you get to Treat Williams as I assume it would be rather difficult to talk about Dern without mentioning the former.
Louis: Have you started The Mirror And The Light. If not, could you post your thoughts on the blog once you've finished it as it doesn't have a Letterboxd page.
I have started The Mirror and the Light, and so far I will say Rylance once again is extraordinary, and Peter Straughan's writing of political intrigue/maneuvering annihilates his work for Conclave.
Honestly I'm hoping screentimecentral does it at some point, given how on the border he feels to me.
Dirk:
I'm going to hold off on Eisenberg as he might get nominated, even though I would surprised by that given he'll be covered for nominations for Writing and Producing most likely.
Everyone else I very much feel like they are all playing minor variations on social awkwardness of being present with people, not knowing what to say given the gravity of the nature of the trip and just catching that strange kind of anti-chemistry in a way that is convincing enough. I will say that is a weakness of the film as I never thought it successfully expanded anyone past the opening sprinkles of character. Sharpe is slightly overbearing tour guide who gets to be slightly more modest, but the transformation isn't that dynamic though he's perfectly fine presenting it. Grey in particular I think gets shafted by introducing her as potentially someone finding themselves in the situation, through Culkin's Benji however given that ends up happening off-screen, and kind oddly glossed over, it really gives her little to do. Egyiawan perfectly fine in alluding to a quietness of someone who has been through a lot, but again they don't really push that for him to do anything all that interesting with it.
Galifianakis - (Not my first choice I'd pick to play the pompous actor who slowly gets less pompous, however I think he fit in overall rather effectively with the main group and I'd say excelled most in terms of the three Hollywood replacements. He brings the right comedic dismissiveness at first, that eventually switches to a comedic engagement of sorts that carries with it a similar energy to Short and Martin in his own way just with less stakes and it works.)
McCarthy - (I do typically prefer when McCarthy is being dramatic than comedic, however as her comedic goes, I thought she performed decently here in just being the overly bawdy and constantly self-hating self. She manages to not overdo it by bringing just hints of pathos in there while more often just being effectively amusing in her reactions to the three, and particularly her face off scene with Streep.)
Ha - (His performance is fine. I think I found him more believable as the weaselly writer than what his eventual role is, where I found his menace attempt not fully forced, but somewhat forced. Both are fairly thin on the whole with each being largely a one note he's playing, which serviceable however I'd say is one of the most forgettable of this certain role fulfiller.)
Rudd - (Purposefully over the top type of performance in being this slightly ridiculous caricature of the Irishman stuntman that really isn't meant to be believed. And as such his performance does work in just playing frankly into the broad note, and delivers as such without going too far. He is amusing in the bit and does leave enough room for the slight bit of dramatic nuance the character has. Not a lot, but enough.)
Kind - (Kind is very much doing his typical thing, with just some minor variations however even those aren't overly serious such as when it seems like he might be slightly more villainous or slightly more dramatic. Kind is amusing enough in doing his typical thing with some minor variations here and for me was pretty easily the best of the other wing characters.)
Not my favorite Tarantino needledrop to be perfectly honest. Out of the time being fairly on the nose in setting up the dread of the Tate murders, which isn't my favorite aspect of the film to be perfectly honest. And while the airport walk with Cliff behind with the bag is a very nice touch, the rest is a testament of the non-Menke languid editing where, while I don't find it truly glacial, it is a bit drawn out and for me diminishes the use of the song as punctuation as compared to the very best uses of music by Tarantino.
Now the Sopranos is also theoretically on the nose with "head filled with ice" as we have Fat Dom's literally frozen head, however sometimes on the nose works perfectly as the song underscores the squaring of some business though that will set more fire in the feud Phil first more indirectly with the corpse disposal then the explosion. A song choice that sets that distinct mood that isn't exactly satisfying but there is a certain easy calm about it though a cautious one.
Anonymous:
A scene that suggests maybe I was a little too hard on Cruise, and common to my earliest reviews my feelings about the over the top scenes with his family after coming back might've weighed too much on my overall decision. This is genuinely good work from Cruise in the somber but clear way of Cruise's delivery initially as the guilt begins to overwhelm him and pierce through his soul even so brutally in his breakdown. A quiet power to his work, though I will say you do see a bit of over excess on Stone's part in this film in the needless cutaway in the scene. But overall far more restraint is shown and Cruise's work does resonate.
Matt:
Lynchian and particularly fantastic because the nature of the film doesn't necessarily require this mixing theoretically as a noir, however Lynch's choice to do so forces a luridness that goes deeper psychologically for that. Such as the opening where the sound takes from the idyllic Americana underscored by Blue Velvet before the sound takes us even more than the visuals to the festering darkness of those ants on the severed ear. But take any moment that Lynch plays with there and there is such precision in the technique. For example the final moment of brilliance for me in the face off where it goes silent for a moment, cutting the score, focusing on the strange sounds as Frank unloads randomly into the tv and the yellow man, before laying the score back, with the sound of Frank's mask building together as a most unique orchestral swell with a certain gunshot as the climactic note of the sound.
Luke:
I originally had longer thoughts for the Carry On cast, sans Bateman who I'm saving but were lost despite putting them in an auto saving doc...anyway. Egerton I think gives an endearing straightforward average performance so to speak where bringing the right sense of gravity and just has a nice earnest chemistry with Carson. Brings the right emotional gravitas. Nothing amazing but both solidly good. And I did like Carson as well largely for that chemistry but thought she effectively segued to the more dramatic conviction moments later on. Deadwyler I don't think really does much with her exposition device. Rossi I think manages to be ridiculous in a part that allowed for a little overacting yet was still too much...still don't know how he pulled that Emily The Criminal performance out...Norris I will say is a little too bad that he's basically gone back to the type of roles he had before Breaking Bad, but did think he did what he could with it.
61 comments:
1. Leung
2. Hoffman
3. Cumming
4. Gallo
5. Owen
1. Leung
2. Hoffman
3. Cumming
4. Owen
5. Gallo
1. Leung
2. Hoffman
3. Cumming
4. Owen
5. Gallo
Haven't seen any of these besides Leung, so I'll wait until I've caught up to make predictions.
Glad you loved Maria as well.
Ah, always lovely to see PSH in a line-up. I believe I requested him too.
1. Leungg
2. Cumming
3. Owen
4. Hoffman
5. Gallo
1. Leung
2. Cumming
3. Hoffman
4. Owen
5. Gallo
1. Leung
2. Gallo
3. Hoffman
4. Cumming
5. Owen
1. Leung
2. Hoffman
3. Cumming
4. Owen
5. Gallo
1. Leung
2. Hoffman
3.Owen
4.Gallo
5. Cumming
1. Leung
2. Cumming
3. Hoffman
4. Owen
5. Gallo
1. Leung
2. Cumming
3. Hoffman
4. Owen
5. Gallo
Robert: Who was your cast MVP from Silverado.
Rating predictions
Leung - 5 (Reviewing him much sooner than I thought he would gives me belief he's going up)
Cumming - 4.5/5
Hoffman - 4
Owen - 4
Gallo - 3.5
1. Leung
2. Hoffman
3. Cumming
4. Owen
5. Gallo
1. Leung
2. Cumming
3. Hoffman
4. Owen
5. Gallo
1) Leung
2) Hoffman
3) Owen
4) Cumming
5) Gallo
1. Leung
2. Cumming
3. Hoffman
4. Owen
5. Gallo
1. Leung
2. Hoffman
3. Cumming
4. Owen
5. Gallo
Luke: Dennehy. The casual playfulness of his approach elevated him to being a pretty good villain. No snarling or shouting. Me and my dad both started laughing at how he rolled his eyes when he saw two of his men dead near the end.
Linda Hunt is also pretty great. Costner could have been MVP if they gave him more screentime, he's surprisingly good as a childish wild card.
Louis: Thoughts on the critics choice nominations.
Luke:
https://youtu.be/flBqojLpAnI?feature=shared
your thoughts on the Screenplay of Stand By Me and the cinematography of Pearl Harbor?
Tim:
Stand By Me's screenplay finds the right balance in adaptation where the novella's darker elements are not fully lost but regulated in a way that doesn't diminish those elements, while also preventing them from being weighed down on them. The last speech which is very different from the novella is the most notable example of this, given two of the characters don't also die brutal deaths with this seeming curse associated with the discovery of the body, and that seems excessive even in novella form, I think would come off as nearly ridiculous in a film. The remarkable aspect of the screenplay is it doesn't diminish the melancholy by removing the deaths, rather the separation of them over years creates that feeling and how each boy went their path services this as powerfully, and perhaps more practically in terms of maintaining a certain reality within the film. The fate of Chris is enough, and even that I prefer just the slight changes there to the age of Chris, where he had successfully got somewhere in life before the tragedy rather than it seeming just another blunt twist of fate. The final speech embodies more than loss as there is also the treasuring of the old nostalgia, that is as well as the pain of the past and those final words find that so poignantly. The rest of the film maintains the structure more or less, and much of the content, though with the specific efficiency of a film, though this isn't an instance where the aspects seem rushed. We experience the world of the boys, with good and bad. there is an essential balance to interweaving that with the general forward momentum of the "adventure" to finding the body. It's a strong adaptation, because it captures what works within the source material, while finding the appropriate changes to make something that would work cinematically.
Pearl Harbor's cinematography is perhaps an example where maybe you can parse out a bit between direction and the cinematography. Because there is much that is of quality in terms of the dramatic lighting, within the grandiose sweeping shots of intense militarism and Americana, however never was there something that Bay didn't know how to overdo because there is a tendency to saturate the frame with stuff more often than not, while of course having a few Bay cliches thrown in there such as just how much Hartnett and Affleck are glistening with their sweat at a near constant rate. And while Schwartzman worked with Bay before, those qualities of Bay are evident with or without him. I'd say this is probably one of the better examples of finding some theoretically remarkable elements of shots in certain sequences, though again over editing and just Bay throwing too much at once doesn't quite make it all as impactful as it probably should be because the shots are not consistent. There are moments where Schwartzman makes it all come together and is able to get the Bay excess into something visually striking, but it is more than a little unwieldy.
Tony & Emi:
Jolie - (Her performance is very much the best of her particular type of presence, where Jolie has a very particular control and exact manner in her performances. This is perfect for Callas, the singer with great vocal control and a precise manner as a person. She thrives in the role crafting the unique mannerism and accent of Callas. Jolie does this with particular ease but there's also such innate power of personality through the usage of the aggressively patrician manner and purposeful exceptional clarity of her voice. Jolie is just innately captivating here as she just runs away with every scene by being such a powerhouse of a personality every second she's on screen. Even when she's not singing she brings in the charisma of someone who just brings others into watch her be as she is and every moment of that. Jolie only begins with this quality, which is quite a lot already however, and brings so much more in realizing the different aspects of Callas beyond the image, even if she is that image so potently. Whether that be with her servants, where she's still her but the intensity is let up just a bit to suggest the quieter modest woman of one time, where she has great chemistry with both where she manages to be parent, child and employer so fluidly in their interactions together. She is convincing when she is commanding as when she is the one who is almost petulantly folding into her own insecurities. The moment of insecurities Jolie makes is so pointed as we see really the ferocity of her heartache whether it be when challenged on her illness by bystander where the defensiveness is so strong, or those aforementioned moments with the servants or the interviewer, where Jolie brings such an incredible vulnerability. There is a certain purposeful performative quality even in these moments, however that to me is part of the greatness of this performance, because what Jolie does is present this as the way Callas navigates the world, which is to be the tragic heroine of the opera herself. Something that could be contrived, however it is Jolie's performance that makes it so convincing one because she is just simply captivating as such but shows the way Callas wants to wear these emotions upon her as a spiritualistic expression of her deepest self as she sees it. Speaking of, the singing is of course dubbed, but dubbing is always in the details, and this would be one of the great examples of it, because Jolie's physical performance never stops. The moment we see her, depending on the time the situation, Jolie shows these transformations in Callas's moments of effortless command of the past, against the later scenes of the waning voice, where Jolie portrays a great need to perform, and the emotions that are much more vulnerable. Jolie is always as present as the voice, and while it isn't her own voice, the power of the moments of the voice still very much come from her.)
Favino - (In a way the Anti-Spall from Spencer, as his butler is one of constant care and concern. His work very much is in silent reactions where he brings the great combination between concern, with a bit of a critique, however never as a hostile man but rather that of a sincerely caring father.)
Rohrwacher - (Very much the often silent compliment as the caring mother, though she is more subdued as such yet evokes it as potently in terms of seeing her constantly as this force of care for Callas.)
Bilginer - (A role that I think could have easily been the one note jerk, given much of what he does is being a jerk and overtly so. Bilginer though manages to find a convincing charisma that isn't so much charm in the traditional sense of being likable, but rather just his bluntness has a strange appeal to it. He makes it work and manages to convey a certain strange sense of interest in the man, despite obviously being extremely flawed, and makes for atypical love but one that ends up working.)
Smit-McPhee - (Brings a certain enigmatic quality that I think works just fine in a purposeful choice, that probably is the biggest risk in a certain serenity like sense, however this one worked for me, though more so due to the direction than Smit-McPhee who I think is just fine but not more than that.)
Golino - (More than anything she does instantly establishes the sense of history with Jolie, and you believe their connection with a sense of conflict but affection at the same time. Quick, but quickly does what is needed for the part.)
Phillipson - (Funny that he gets to talk here rather than his performance in Jackie, and to actually more overtly act as JFK, found him convincing enough, even if the nature of the role is purposefully limited.)
Smooth Talk Cast:
Saving Williams.
Dern - 5
Place - 4
Berridge - 4
Glad that rec worked out
Louis: Is Dern 3rd or 4th for 1985 Best Actress.
I'm currently watching Poker Face and enjoying it (Lyonne is great) but I have to say it has so far not even come close to living up to how AMAZING the first episode was.
Luke: Has Louis given full actress & supp actress top 10s for 1985? If so, where can I find those?
Michael: Unfortunately, I never asked him at the time, only went as far as a top 5.
Prior to Dern, his top 5 were:
1. Geraldine Page in The Trip To Bountiful (5)
2. Norma Aleandro in The Official Story (5)
3. Cher in Mask (5)
4. Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple (5)
5. Mia Farrow in The Purple Rose Of Cairo (4.5)
Louis: here are my recommendations for the years you have already covered:
-Il Marchese del Grillo (1981), it’s probably Alberto Sordi’s most known role in Italy.
-The Travelling Players (1975)
-some Wiseman docs: Welfare (1975)/Belfast Maine (1999)/Domestic Violence (2001)
I’ve also got some recommendations for 2024 movies:
-The Girl with the Needle (Dyrholm is a guaranteed 5 in my opinion)
-Grand Tour
-Vermiglio
-Vogter (not as good as The Guilty, but it’s still great, Knudsen is extraordinary in the leading role)
My 2024 recommendation for 2024 is Cuckoo, if only to see how brilliant Hunter Schafer is as a performer. Dan Stevens also gives a fun creepy turn in that, I wouldn’t hate to see him reviewed.
Since we're on the topic of 1985, I just watched Death of a Salesman from that year. A bit stagy, but overall it's an effective adaptation.
Hoffman-4.5
Malkovich-4.5 (I swear this guy became a completely different person once 1990s rolled around)
Reid-3.5
Lang-3.5
Durning, Zorich and Polito-3
Are you reviewing Treat Williams along with these five?
Carry-On is a DAMN fine thriller. Egerton is a rock-solid lead but the star is Jason Bateman.
Egerton-4
Bateman-4.5(VERY clever casting, which Bateman realizes and plays into beautifully)
Carson-2.5
Deadwyler-3
Norris-3
Rossi-2.5
Tonatiuh-3
I find it fascinating that Bateman's screen presence lends itself to thrillers so readily.
Louis: Your choice of director, writer and lead for a Harland Sanders biopic?
Robert: It's cause he's got that deadpan which can be hilarious or sinister without really changing much.
Regarding Queer, hmm, I feel pretty similar to this as I do Naked Lunch, so really maybe much of my hesitation has more to do with Burroughs than either Guadagnino or Cronenberg...or maybe no filmmaker has fully cracked the adaptation. As like Naked Lunch, I found myself compelled then repelled, compelled while being repelled, and sometimes just repelled pretty randomly throughout, although there are a few consistent factors such as the production design and general aesthetic that I can appreciate, though some use of VFX I didn't love. The biggest swings went either way for the most part. But there were a few elements I think could've been better even disregarding the overall strangeness of the piece, such as the first act could've easily been trimmed, when the film announced chapter 2, I couldn't help but think THAT WAS ONLY CHAPTER 1 because it does feel very drawn out, particularly given how short the next chapters are by comparison, and Drew Starkey honestly I don't think delivers. To be fair to him, the role is an enigma, but I thought he played the part excessively vague, as though he didn't know what was going with his character either, leaving him a bit too overshadowed within the scheme of the story. The is a film though I could go piece meal in the elements I loved, or were at least intrigued by, to those that didn't work for me, and seeing where Guadagnino thrives and struggled to enliven the specific strangeness of Burroughs narrative. I certainly don't hate the film, but I can't say I love it either...a bit like Naked Lunch...however this title is more accurate.
Manville - 4
Schwartzman - 2.5
Starkey - 2.5
I had a similar reaction to Queer, I also thought Craig was a mixed bag. Certainly plenty of good moments, and also quite a few that I found way overblown. I also thought Schwartzman’s casting in particular was really odd, that character could have been a refreshing bright spot with a more innately likable actor.
Shit, now I’ve watched Smooth Talk wish I requested Treat Williams years ago.
Well, Brody has the Oscar lineup win in the bag.
Louis: Your retro directorial choices for Sean Baker?
Louis: Thoughts on the rest of the Queer cast?
Robert: My guess is that Williams will be reviewed in a future backlog lineup.
Tahmeed:
I wasn't the biggest fan of this section of Cobra Kai, as so much felt like wheel turning in terms of the conflicts and does indeed feel drawn out rather than just getting to the point at this point. And like season 2, the huge brawl again wasn't my favorite choice because it suggests that karate is almost an infectious hysteria that should be banned, particularly after this finale. I think it can still come together by the end, and I'll say I found it watchable enough still, however this was for me one of the weakest set of episodes of the series.
Cast wise no one stood out too much, probably Yuji Okumoto would be my relative standout.
Robert:
We'll see if I have time.
Marcus:
The most pivotal of all biopics obviously, so naturally David Lynch and Kyle MacLachlan.
Bryan:
Boudu Saved From Drowning
Fat City
Straight Time
Dirk:
Manville - (A bizarre over the top performance, however won that worked for me in terms of just owning the strangeness of the woman who has been deep in the jungle too long, and honestly doesn't play the role all that differently than if she was playing a mythological witch. It worked for me though in managing to find enough of an effective tone in being slightly comical, yet there's hints of depth in her curiosities and her words towards Lee.)
Schwartzman - (I will concur with Michael, this character could have offered a respite and at the very least a contrast to Craig. But Schwartzman is overly fussy in the part and just kind of adds tension to his scenes where a relief I think would've been better suited. Past that it also just feels very performative from him in terms of playing a homosexual character, and maybe not in your traditional over the top way, but still in a pretty obvious way.)
Starkey - (The character basically is "handsome stranger" and well Starkey doesn't really do anything with it in my mind. He's just kind of there most of the time, going through the scenes. He's not actively bad, he's just going along in the scenes and doesn't make his character allude to anything more than just a surface object of desire.)
Louis: as far as gonzo Guadagnino-directed performances go, do you prefer Rylance in Bones or Manville in Queer?
Louis: What's your ranking placement for Dern in Smooth Talk.
Anonymous:
Manville out of those two, but in reality Stuhlbarg.
Luke:
#5
Louis: I really thought she'd place higher than Goldberg.
I'll ask for thoughts on the cast whenever you get to Treat Williams as I assume it would be rather difficult to talk about Dern without mentioning the former.
Louis: Have you started The Mirror And The Light. If not, could you post your thoughts on the blog once you've finished it as it doesn't have a Letterboxd page.
Luke: Theoretically he could include as an entry with Wolf Hall.
Louis: Have you decided on David Jonsson's category placement for Alien: Romulus.
Louis: Thoughts on the rest of the cast of A Real Pain?
Luke:
I have started The Mirror and the Light, and so far I will say Rylance once again is extraordinary, and Peter Straughan's writing of political intrigue/maneuvering annihilates his work for Conclave.
Honestly I'm hoping screentimecentral does it at some point, given how on the border he feels to me.
Dirk:
I'm going to hold off on Eisenberg as he might get nominated, even though I would surprised by that given he'll be covered for nominations for Writing and Producing most likely.
Everyone else I very much feel like they are all playing minor variations on social awkwardness of being present with people, not knowing what to say given the gravity of the nature of the trip and just catching that strange kind of anti-chemistry in a way that is convincing enough. I will say that is a weakness of the film as I never thought it successfully expanded anyone past the opening sprinkles of character. Sharpe is slightly overbearing tour guide who gets to be slightly more modest, but the transformation isn't that dynamic though he's perfectly fine presenting it. Grey in particular I think gets shafted by introducing her as potentially someone finding themselves in the situation, through Culkin's Benji however given that ends up happening off-screen, and kind oddly glossed over, it really gives her little to do. Egyiawan perfectly fine in alluding to a quietness of someone who has been through a lot, but again they don't really push that for him to do anything all that interesting with it.
Okay, here goes:
1. Leung
2. Cumming
3. Hoffman
4. Gallo
5. Owen
Louis: Thoughts on Zach Galifianakis, Jin Ha, Melissa McCarthy, Paul Rudd (Irish) and Richard Kind in Only Murders S4.
Louis: If its technically possible, what rating would you give Susan Backlinie in Jaws?
Anonymous:
Galifianakis - (Not my first choice I'd pick to play the pompous actor who slowly gets less pompous, however I think he fit in overall rather effectively with the main group and I'd say excelled most in terms of the three Hollywood replacements. He brings the right comedic dismissiveness at first, that eventually switches to a comedic engagement of sorts that carries with it a similar energy to Short and Martin in his own way just with less stakes and it works.)
McCarthy - (I do typically prefer when McCarthy is being dramatic than comedic, however as her comedic goes, I thought she performed decently here in just being the overly bawdy and constantly self-hating self. She manages to not overdo it by bringing just hints of pathos in there while more often just being effectively amusing in her reactions to the three, and particularly her face off scene with Streep.)
Ha - (His performance is fine. I think I found him more believable as the weaselly writer than what his eventual role is, where I found his menace attempt not fully forced, but somewhat forced. Both are fairly thin on the whole with each being largely a one note he's playing, which serviceable however I'd say is one of the most forgettable of this certain role fulfiller.)
Rudd - (Purposefully over the top type of performance in being this slightly ridiculous caricature of the Irishman stuntman that really isn't meant to be believed. And as such his performance does work in just playing frankly into the broad note, and delivers as such without going too far. He is amusing in the bit and does leave enough room for the slight bit of dramatic nuance the character has. Not a lot, but enough.)
Kind - (Kind is very much doing his typical thing, with just some minor variations however even those aren't overly serious such as when it seems like he might be slightly more villainous or slightly more dramatic. Kind is amusing enough in doing his typical thing with some minor variations here and for me was pretty easily the best of the other wing characters.)
RatedRStar:
3, as her screams certainly are very convincing.
Tony:
Not my favorite Tarantino needledrop to be perfectly honest. Out of the time being fairly on the nose in setting up the dread of the Tate murders, which isn't my favorite aspect of the film to be perfectly honest. And while the airport walk with Cliff behind with the bag is a very nice touch, the rest is a testament of the non-Menke languid editing where, while I don't find it truly glacial, it is a bit drawn out and for me diminishes the use of the song as punctuation as compared to the very best uses of music by Tarantino.
Now the Sopranos is also theoretically on the nose with "head filled with ice" as we have Fat Dom's literally frozen head, however sometimes on the nose works perfectly as the song underscores the squaring of some business though that will set more fire in the feud Phil first more indirectly with the corpse disposal then the explosion. A song choice that sets that distinct mood that isn't exactly satisfying but there is a certain easy calm about it though a cautious one.
Anonymous:
A scene that suggests maybe I was a little too hard on Cruise, and common to my earliest reviews my feelings about the over the top scenes with his family after coming back might've weighed too much on my overall decision. This is genuinely good work from Cruise in the somber but clear way of Cruise's delivery initially as the guilt begins to overwhelm him and pierce through his soul even so brutally in his breakdown. A quiet power to his work, though I will say you do see a bit of over excess on Stone's part in this film in the needless cutaway in the scene. But overall far more restraint is shown and Cruise's work does resonate.
Matt:
Lynchian and particularly fantastic because the nature of the film doesn't necessarily require this mixing theoretically as a noir, however Lynch's choice to do so forces a luridness that goes deeper psychologically for that. Such as the opening where the sound takes from the idyllic Americana underscored by Blue Velvet before the sound takes us even more than the visuals to the festering darkness of those ants on the severed ear. But take any moment that Lynch plays with there and there is such precision in the technique. For example the final moment of brilliance for me in the face off where it goes silent for a moment, cutting the score, focusing on the strange sounds as Frank unloads randomly into the tv and the yellow man, before laying the score back, with the sound of Frank's mask building together as a most unique orchestral swell with a certain gunshot as the climactic note of the sound.
Luke:
I originally had longer thoughts for the Carry On cast, sans Bateman who I'm saving but were lost despite putting them in an auto saving doc...anyway. Egerton I think gives an endearing straightforward average performance so to speak where bringing the right sense of gravity and just has a nice earnest chemistry with Carson. Brings the right emotional gravitas. Nothing amazing but both solidly good. And I did like Carson as well largely for that chemistry but thought she effectively segued to the more dramatic conviction moments later on. Deadwyler I don't think really does much with her exposition device. Rossi I think manages to be ridiculous in a part that allowed for a little overacting yet was still too much...still don't know how he pulled that Emily The Criminal performance out...Norris I will say is a little too bad that he's basically gone back to the type of roles he had before Breaking Bad, but did think he did what he could with it.
Egerton - 4
Carson - 3.5
Deadwyler - 2.5
Rossi - 2
Norris - 3
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