Miscellaneous Movie Musings - Page 327

Ghoulish Delight · 05-14-2008, 02:20 PM

Spain + Penelope Cruiz + Scarlett Johansson + making out + directed by Woody Allen = most anticipated movie ever.

http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/05/13/...ina-barcelona/

Eliza Hodgkins 1812 · 05-14-2008, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Spain + Penelope Cruiz + Scarlett Johansson + making out + directed by Woody Allen = most anticipated movie ever.

http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/05/13/...ina-barcelona/

Take out "Woody Allen" and I might agree with you. Actually, Cruz doesn't really do it for me, but I understand her appeal, at least.

Eliza Hodgkins 1812 · 05-14-2008, 02:33 PM

I finally watched There Will Be Blood. After the first hour passed, I thought, "Why were so many of my friends disappointed? This is GREAT!" And then the next hour passed, and I thought, "Okay, it's starting to flounder a bit, but I'll keep heart and maybe he will rein it in during the 3rd act."

And then..... Well, honestly, it was like watching a brilliant mind deteriorate. I felt like I was actually watching a friend I love go mad towards the end of his life. I'm not talking about Plainview's deterioration, mind. I'm personifying the movie. I really do think it had a brilliant start. I was completely riveted, and then I was completely let down.

And that final scene? Some of the worst overacting I've seen from a truly gifted actor in a long time. As for Dano's performance, I wasn't keen on it for most of the picture, so was less disappointed when he too floundered in the last 15 minutes.

Ah, well. I still have Magnolia and Punch Drunk Love to turn to.

Eliza Hodgkins 1812 · 05-14-2008, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowflake

Okay, I have not gone back and read previous postings on There Will Be Blood. Thanks to Netflix I saw it last night.

Let me preface, I loved Paul Dano and Daniel Day Lewis. I did not love the film. I really thought it was a colassal bore. I did not get the EPIC nature of the film at all.

I loved the nuance at the very end in DDL's cry I'm Finished (in more ways than one). Paul Dano was, I think, creepier than Javiar Bardem in NCFM (which I loved as a film and will buy on DVD)

What am I missing here?

Everyone has such a different take on this film, which is maybe the most interesting thing about the movie, the first hour excepted (because I loved it so much).

I actually didn't care for Dano, and most people seemed to. Times I liked him, times I thought his performance was terrible.

And though I also think DDL overdid the last 15 or 20 minutes, I also very much like his delivery of that final line. That was, as you said, nuanced.

innerSpaceman · 05-14-2008, 02:42 PM

Well, when I watched it again ... I was suprised to realize IT'S A COMEDY.

Seriously, I laughed all the way through it. Not AT it. With it. The final scene when Plainview is an adle-brained, drunken old coot is only overacting if you don't see his behaviour when he's younger and more sane.

Every scene with him and Paul Dano is a laugh riot. The scene in the restaurant with his son and the guys from Union Oil has me in stitches. And the bowling scene finale is simply icing on an already preposterious character's cake (or milkshake, as the case may be).

Comedy, Comedy, Comedy .... looked at from that angle, There Will Be Blood is pure black gold ... and Daniel Day deserved the Oscar he got (before they were warned how he'd dress for the ceremony).

Eliza Hodgkins 1812 · 05-14-2008, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

I loved the theme of conflict between religion and capitalism for control of society. I love that capitalism won and it wasn't shown as a gentle "good" victory.

I think I should have read your post first before writing mine, and just responded, "What he said," to this and the rest.

Eliza Hodgkins 1812 · 05-14-2008, 02:58 PM

I enjoyed the film's black humor, though I wouldn't categorize it as a comedy, or even a Black Comedy. There were scenes where I laughed, and I think I was meant to laugh.

But that doesn't change how I felt about the piece as a whole. If it's a masterpiece I've misunderstood I'm cool with that, and there's a someecard to back me up.

Snowflake · 05-14-2008, 04:08 PM

Love the card EH1812. Brilliant!

iSm, I got the humor, but I'm still meh on the movie. Overlong and over tedious. I did find the restairant scene funny.

Alex · 05-14-2008, 06:21 PM

Ugh.

Werner Herzog is going to remake Bad Lieutenant with Nic Cage in the Harvey Keitel role.

I'm not one to immediately reject remakes, but Bad Lieutenant?

Stan4dSteph · 05-15-2008, 04:09 AM

I really liked The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. The extras on the DVD are very good as well.

05-14-2008, 02:20 PM	#3261
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Spain + Penelope Cruiz + Scarlett Johansson + making out + directed by Woody Allen = most anticipated movie ever. http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/05/13/...ina-barcelona/ __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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05-14-2008, 02:33 PM	#3263
Eliza Hodgkins 1812 Sputnik Sweetheart Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Long Beach Posts: 2,685	I finally watched There Will Be Blood. After the first hour passed, I thought, "Why were so many of my friends disappointed? This is GREAT!" And then the next hour passed, and I thought, "Okay, it's starting to flounder a bit, but I'll keep heart and maybe he will rein it in during the 3rd act." And then..... Well, honestly, it was like watching a brilliant mind deteriorate. I felt like I was actually watching a friend I love go mad towards the end of his life. I'm not talking about Plainview's deterioration, mind. I'm personifying the movie. I really do think it had a brilliant start. I was completely riveted, and then I was completely let down. And that final scene? Some of the worst overacting I've seen from a truly gifted actor in a long time. As for Dano's performance, I wasn't keen on it for most of the picture, so was less disappointed when he too floundered in the last 15 minutes. Ah, well. I still have Magnolia and Punch Drunk Love to turn to.
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05-14-2008, 02:42 PM	#3265
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Well, when I watched it again ... I was suprised to realize IT'S A COMEDY. Seriously, I laughed all the way through it. Not AT it. With it. The final scene when Plainview is an adle-brained, drunken old coot is only overacting if you don't see his behaviour when he's younger and more sane. Every scene with him and Paul Dano is a laugh riot. The scene in the restaurant with his son and the guys from Union Oil has me in stitches. And the bowling scene finale is simply icing on an already preposterious character's cake (or milkshake, as the case may be). Comedy, Comedy, Comedy .... looked at from that angle, There Will Be Blood is pure black gold ... and Daniel Day deserved the Oscar he got (before they were warned how he'd dress for the ceremony).
	Submit to Quotes

05-14-2008, 02:58 PM	#3267
Eliza Hodgkins 1812 Sputnik Sweetheart Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Long Beach Posts: 2,685	I enjoyed the film's black humor, though I wouldn't categorize it as a comedy, or even a Black Comedy. There were scenes where I laughed, and I think I was meant to laugh. But that doesn't change how I felt about the piece as a whole. If it's a masterpiece I've misunderstood I'm cool with that, and there's a someecard to back me up.
	Submit to Quotes

05-14-2008, 04:08 PM	#3268
Snowflake lost in the fog Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 7,831	Love the card EH1812. Brilliant! iSm, I got the humor, but I'm still meh on the movie. Overlong and over tedious. I did find the restairant scene funny.
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05-14-2008, 06:21 PM	#3269
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Ugh. Werner Herzog is going to remake Bad Lieutenant with Nic Cage in the Harvey Keitel role. I'm not one to immediately reject remakes, but Bad Lieutenant?
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05-15-2008, 04:09 AM	#3270
Stan4dSteph Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: East Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,156	I really liked The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. The extras on the DVD are very good as well.
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