Gene Hackman as Little Bill Daggett in "Unforgiven"
I also wanted to mention this year's "Star Trek"—a series I’ve never really followed and am not much of a fan of—as a perfect example of a show where the actors didn't just feel like performers, but felt like actual, living characters.
After winning her Oscar for that standout supporting role in "The Fisher King," Mercedes Ruehl basically vanished from the spotlight. Kim Basinger followed a similar path; once she snagged her Oscar for "L.A. Confidential," she seemed to get swallowed up by a wave of low-budget thrillers and B-movie dramas. Then there’s Mira Sorvino—after her win for "The Mighty Aphrodite," she pivoted toward action hero roles and, well, it didn't quite pan out. Even Emma Thompson had a period after her brilliant run in the 90s where it felt like she had just stepped off the map entirely.
crimsondriver54 said:I honestly wonder if you realize what you just wrote. I’m not saying the movie is bad, but there are much better films out there, especially from Canada.
I’m fully aware, and even after watching it again last night for the third time, I still stand by my take.
velvetcrane57 said:I just finished watching the film, and I have to say, it’s quite a strong piece of work, though I suspect it isn't exactly everyone's cup of tea.
Regarding the cast, Sean Penn delivered his usual stellar performance; at the very least, an Academy Award nomination seems almost inevitable for him. On the other hand, Josh Brolin is such an incredibly grating character for me, and he didn't exactly bring anything revolutionary to the table here. Speaking of which, I thought he was significantly better in No Country for Old Men. As for James Franco, he’s a fantastic actor and this was just more proof of that. Even in something as fun as Pineapple Express, he was brilliant—honestly, he was the absolute standout in that film.
In my estimation, the film doesn't quite merit a "Picture of the Year" nod, yet it would feel like a genuine travesty if the Academy bypassed this one in favor of something like Slumdog Millionaire, which I personally find to be a much more compelling film. Then again... my experience watching the Oscars has taught me that's exactly the kind of thing that happens. But then again, who cares?!
7/10
No way... Slumdog is definitely getting a nomination.
Last year, unfortunately, there weren't any films being celebrated; instead, it was just an endless stream of news about people passing away who had some connection to Hollywood.
Vampire Girl - January 10th (the unforgettable Vampire Girl from Wood's Planet 9) Brad Renfro - January 15th Heath Ledger - January 22nd Roy Scheider - February 10th Anthony Minghella - March 18th Arthur C. Clarke - March 19th Paul Scofield - March 19th Charlton Heston - May 5th Sydney Pollack - May 26th Yves Saint Laurent - June 1st (He might not have had much of a connection to Hollywood, but he’s still worth mentioning.) Stan Winston - June 15th Bernie Mac - August 9th Paul Newman - September 26th Michael Crichton - November 4th Robert Mulligan - December 20th Harold Pinter - December 24th
When it comes to our local picks, there are definitely a few standouts worth mentioning: Semka Sokolović - March 4th Boris Dvornik - March 24th Dina Dvornik - 6. September
I probably forgot to mention them halfway through or just overlooked them, but my take is that 2008 will be remembered primarily by their premature passing.
When it comes to the movies themselves, there isn't really any dilemma: whether you love them or not, "The Dark KnightIt sits right at the top of last year’s most significant films. Its "dark" legacy is hard to ignore—between the massive buzz surrounding the passing of Heath Ledger and the car accident Morgan Freeman had a few months after the premiere, the film carries a heavy weight. On the commercial side, it's a monster, landing as the second highest-grossing film of all time with over $530 million in the US. That actually makes it only the second movie ever to cross the $500 million mark here. As for Heath, a posthumous Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor seem like a given at this point; he’s pretty much swept everything else already. If the Academy Awards decides to nominate The Dark Knight for Best Picture, we might be looking at the first comic book movie in history to ever get that nod.
For me, the best movie of last year was...John RamboEven though I laid out my reasons for this back when the movie was actually playing in theaters on its own thread, I’ll briefly recap them here: everything just clicked during that viewing—great company and a great mood. Add to that the fact that we’re talking about freaking Rambo, who simply can't be compared to anyone else (to those claiming certain things in this movie are impossible: just be quiet—it's John Rambo, he can do anything), and considering how much we all loved him as kids, there was no way the movie could turn out bad. Besides, can anyone point to a director who can make an audience smile and cheer while the hero is tearing through enemies and disemboweling them, only to leave the viewers feeling incredibly entertained and relaxed during the credits—even after watching scenes where villains assault young boys and drive bayonets into their innocent chests?
I'd definitely have to highlight Ang Lee's...Desire, CautionEven though it came out back in 2007, I only finally caught it in theaters this year. It’s a classic piece of American indie cinema.JunoIt feels like a genuine breath of fresh air; really interesting stuff.CloverfieldThere’s plenty of room for debate on that one; it feels very Brazilian.Elite SquadIt holds its own without any trouble.New York City"...and the discovery of Mexican director Rodrigo Pla, whose work really struck a chord with me."Desierto AdentroIn the end, it turned out to be the best film at this year's festival. It actually makes me want to take a closer look at his previous directorial work.La ZonaReleased back in 2007, that film actually won a major award at the Venice Film Festival for Best Debut. If you haven't seen those two movies yet, they are definitely worth a watch.
It’s hard to call it a disappointment when there weren't really any expectations to begin with, but as far as "movies" go...10,000 BCHonestly, that was easily the worst movie I saw in theaters all last year. Just thinking about how much money I wasted on it actually makes me feel sick. $9.75 Hey, Cinephiles. Honestly, "Fog" was a massive letdown. I really didn't expect it to turn out to be such a generic TV movie, complete with the most nebulous ending of the year—something even Henry Bennett53 would be embarrassed by. And don't even get me started on those other local flops, "Lika Cinema" and "Three Stories of Insomnia"; just mentioning them, even to criticize them, feels like a compliment.
Jonathan Collins43 said:P. S. "Moulin Rouge!" isn't kitsch, let alone pathetic.
Would you mind enlightening us on what "Moulin Rouge!" actually is then, Mr. "I watched High School Musical 3: The Senior Year three times in theaters"?
Henry Bennett53 said:I can't stand Baz Luhrmann's style or his movies, so I'm skipping this one, just like I'll skip any of his future projects.
Why's that? Not a fan of kitsch? 🙂 What has the guy actually done besides "Romeo and Juliet" and "Moulin Rouge!"? Is there anything remotely decent in his filmography? Honestly, looking back at my teenage years, maybe "Romeo and Juliet" wasn't the worst thing ever. But "Moulin Rouge!" was so over-the-top cheesy it still makes me feel a bit sick today. And as for "USA," it’s a total nothing for me. Zero interest.
EDIT: My bad to all the Luhrmann fans out there; I just remembered he also did that awful song "Everybody's Free"... Does that count as part of his body of work too? 🤔
Could you give me some specific examples of what you found so exaggerated in the movie?
If you're talking about the lead actress and her whole vibe—trust me, people like that actually exist. It isn't caricatured at all. I personally know two people I hang out with regularly who are basically living embodiments of Lee's character. Literally.
And if you mean the driving instructor—yeah, those types exist too, and unfortunately, they're way more common than the lead actress.
Honestly, thinking that an optimistic woman is somehow "disturbing" or that she "devours" everything around her just by being herself is complete nonsense. Sorry, but I disagree. For heaven's sake, just turn on the news here in the States and watch how Israel is bombing Gaza. What else am I supposed to say?
Chris Morgan67 said:the main character is this incredibly disturbing woman. she basically violates everything around her with a kind of sick optimism that devours everyone but herself.
I really feel for you. And honestly, it’s pretty disheartening to read comments like that.
Adam Moore said:Personally, I think it’s one of the best movies ever made.😉
Man, I’d love to jump back into a debate with you like we did six years ago right here when this movie first came out. But honestly, my memory of it is pretty hazy, so I’d probably have to rewatch it just to have some actual ammunition for an argument. 🙂 Do you happen to have a copy?
I just finished watching the new Gus Van Sant film, and it definitely deserves its own dedicated thread. First off, I have to mention the surprise that was James Franco. Up until now, I’ve mostly seen him in roles where he was pretty much consistently mediocre. Here, it feels like a different person—like he’s actually inhabiting a real character. For some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about how much he reminded me of Heath Ledger. Not sure why, though.
On the other hand, Sean Penn and Josh Brolin will likely be picking up Academy Award nominations this year, each in their respective categories. Both are excellent—though if I’m being honest, I think Josh edges out Sean slightly, but hey... I already mentioned over in the Nixon/Kennedy thread that I'm not really a fan of heavy imitation acting.
While I haven't seen a huge amount of Gus Van Sant's work, this is the first one of his where I can't immediately label it as either a masterpiece or a disaster. His previous films have always been either phenomenal (like "Good Will Hunting" or "Elephant") or totally misses for me ("My Own Private Idaho," "Finding Forrester," "To Die For," or "Psycho"). This one is perfectly fine, but it doesn't quite have that "extra something" that makes it stand out from the sea of similar movies. That’s probably my biggest gripe. Also, that ending with the candles... well, I guess it was expected given the story.
That said, this is definitely the kind of movie that should touch anyone with even a shred of emotion left in them. It's worth a watch.
Not much room for debate here: this is easily one of the top 10 films of the year. Plus, the lead actress is a lock for both a Golden Globe and an Oscar.
I just finished watching it, and honestly, even an hour later, I still haven't grasped the point of this movie—like, why does it even need to exist? Does anyone actually get it?
Alright, look, everything is wrapped up nicely enough. We’ve got Lea, who is predictably great; we have Russell Crowe, who should theoretically draw in his fanbase (even if his role was written for a complete amateur); we have a strong supporting actor, a female lead (always essential), and we have politics...
...but we are missing the most vital ingredient: ACTION! Someone above mentioned they found the film tense and felt the action never let up. Fine, I can maybe agree with the tension part, but what action, for crying out loud? Where? What? Midway through, the thought of a "kingdom" crossed my mind, and I figured, "Aha, okay... good old Ridley is playing it smart: he gives us a little something to chew on at the start, and then hits us with a massive barrage toward the end..." but nope. Nothing. Zilch. Literally. Of course, action isn't everything, but with movies like this—damn it—you expect it. You want it. You crave it.
Then there's that Garland character—completely underdeveloped. He's introduced out of nowhere (fine, I can live with that), pops up in a couple of scenes, sends a few emails—and that's it. Not a trace of him after that. It wasn't until the credits rolled that I realized who wrote the script: William Monahan, the guy who wrote and won an Oscar for The Departed. Setting the Oscar aside, The Departed is a brilliantly written film with excellent characterization for everyone on screen. Here, that's basically non-existent, except for two characters: Lea and Hanija.
I don't know... I'm giving this a -3, though I can't quite put my finger on why. Probably because of Ridley and the credit I give him based on his past work. But I expected more—I really did.
I just finished this one and I’m giving it a solid four stars. As a director, Ron Howard finally feels like he's hit his stride here; he handles a heavy narrative like this with real maturity. Personally, I don't think he deserved that Oscar for "A Beautiful Mind" years ago—he should have gotten it for this instead. Sadly, it'll likely just end with some nominations, serving as yet another example of a director winning an Oscar for a film that didn't earn it while being overlooked for a much better work.
The weakest link in the movie (and I know this might sound strange to people once they see it) is actually the lead—Frank Langella playing President Nixon. Honestly, I've just had my fill of these types of actors who specialize in impressions lately, like Cate Blanchett in The Aviator or Jamie Foxx in Ray.
That said, from a directing and screenwriting standpoint, the film is excellent. What struck me most was watching what felt like a verbal heavyweight boxing match between a former champ and a rising contender. I also thought Jacko Brenner was the best supporting element; it's another one of those Kevin Bacon roles that will probably go unnoticed during awards season, much like what happened with him in Mystic River.
Anyway, if you value good filmmaking, you really ought to check this out. It's easily one of the best releases of the year.
hollowsailor19 said:Memorable scenes: - Polanski cutting Nicholson's nose - Nicholson slapping Fay Dunuway - The jokes about Chinatown - 'Only when I breathe.'
Those moments are nothing compared to the ending, when that guy tells Jake Gittes: "forget IT jak... It's Chinatown." That final beat is what really won me over and turned this movie into a total classic.