Miscellaneous Movie Musings - Page 294

innerSpaceman · 03-02-2008, 10:58 PM

* * * *
I wish I'd remembered that my friend Janet did f/x work for the Oscar Winner The Golden Compass - I would have been much more excited when it won.

It's the third film she's worked on that won the f/x Oscar ... but this is the first time she's actually had a chance to hold the Oscar.

* * * *

The Other Boleyn Girl was just a little too soapopery for my tastes. I suppose the nature of the story is pretty bodice-ripper-ish, but I think I was hoping for something a little more intrigue and a little less high school.

Eric Bana's Henry the Eigth is a love-sick moron. Natalie Portman, usually good in most things, should simply never play a queen again ... since I think this goes down with Amidala as one of her meh performances.

Scarlett Johanson fairs better as the title character and one of the few sympathetic characters. Another, the Boleyn boy, their brother George, is played by the yummy Jim Sturgess - who was Jude in Across the Universe. Kirsten Scott Thomas is the real standout as the sharpwitted Boleyn mom who's the voice of sanity in this most dysfunctional and tragic of families.

It could be the defacto first film in a trilogy with Elizabeth and its sequel The Golden Age. Like that latter film, it presents a world where the rulers of England seem to ruled by their hormones and love lives. Perhaps that's the way it was. They were human like the rest of us. But it seems to triviliaze important events, and so it comes off a tad artificial to me and more than a little silly.

Otherwise, a handsome production in a period of movie history I've become interested in of late. And I thought the costumes were fine, Shorshah.

* * * * *

More than anything, it made me feel like watching Jim Sturgess in Across the Universe, the first time I've screened that movie since first seeing it in theaters. Better even than I remembered. Knowing going in how thin the 60's pastiche/standard love story arc the story takes, i was better able to appreciate the film as a non-stop musical spectacle of great Beatles covers and one fantastic number after another.

If you haven't seen Across the Universe, get it on DVD. If you're thinking of seeing The Other Boleyn Girl, it's ok to wait for the DVD.

.

Ponine · 03-03-2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

If you haven't seen Across the Universe, get it on DVD. If you're thinking of seeing The Other Boleyn Girl, it's ok to wait for the DVD.

I have Across the Universe in my Netflix cue, so thats good. And I was dying to see the Other Boylen Girl in the theatre.
I wonder if anyone who has read it has seen it.

Having not seen the movie my first response is, "well yeah, that book is pretty much a soap opera"

Not Afraid · 03-04-2008, 03:55 PM

I've actually watched 4 - yes 4 - movies in the past week.

Last night's feature was "The Lost Weekend" - a fantastic and scary film about an alcoholic writer on his "last" binge. 1 is too many and 100 not enough - so true.

The night before was "The Darjeling Limited" - Wes Anderson's fun and odd story of three brothers on a quest in India. I really liked it and, if your a Wes Anderson fan, rent it. Oh, and Adrian Brody is still yummy.

La Vie en Rose was another alcoholic romp with the talented and tragic Edith Piaf. I knew her music well, but really knew nothing about her life. It was interested from that perspective and I can see why the Best Actress Oscar was awarded to Marion Cottilard - she was spectacular.

No Country for Old Men was a previous night's viewing. Not my favorite Cohen Brothers films, but Javier Bardem was scarier than crap and it was beautifully filmed. It was odd seeing this film after a recent viewing of Perdita Durango (also starring Bardem). There were many, many similarities between the 2 films and I ended up combining all of the car crash scenes into one nightmarish crash.

I've got a pile of DVDs sitting on the coffee table and may have my own movie fest while I am single. (I've got some fantastic 60's and 70's British films at my fingertips.) It's either that or cleaning the house.

mousepod · 03-04-2008, 05:30 PM

Last night, at the urging of one of my friends, I watched the Michael Haneke 1997 movie "Funny Games". The version coming out this month appears to be a shot-for-shot remake by the same director.

It was one of the most reprehensible films I have ever seen. It made me angry - and if I were to meet Haneke, I'd demand my stolen time back from him.

I have to put this turkey up on eBay...

Chernabog · 03-04-2008, 05:35 PM

Hey MP did you watch Ratatouille on Blu Ray yet?

Cadaverous Pallor · 03-04-2008, 05:40 PM

Mmmmmmm Adrian Brody in Darjeeling......

Not Afraid · 03-04-2008, 08:08 PM

Yes, let's just dump this move crap and talk about Adrian Brody.

LSPoorEeyorick · 03-04-2008, 08:11 PM

I understand he's prized among these parts, but I admit that I really don't find him attractive. Not even a little bit! Like Brad Pitt, I find him to be in the... rodent family?

cirquelover · 03-04-2008, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

I understand he's prized among these parts, but I admit that I really don't find him attractive. Not even a little bit! Like Brad Pitt, I find him to be in the... rodent family?

I would have to agree with you completely on that sentiment, sorry to everyone else. I think I found Brad Pitt attractive only once but he had long hair and didn't look like himself

Not Afraid · 03-04-2008, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cirquelover

I would have to agree with you completely on that sentiment, sorry to everyone else. I think I found Brad Pitt attractive only once but he had long hair and didn't look like himself

He doesn't do much for me either. He's too "Ken".

03-02-2008, 10:58 PM	#1
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	* * * * I wish I'd remembered that my friend Janet did f/x work for the Oscar Winner The Golden Compass - I would have been much more excited when it won. It's the third film she's worked on that won the f/x Oscar ... but this is the first time she's actually had a chance to hold the Oscar. * * * * The Other Boleyn Girl was just a little too soapopery for my tastes. I suppose the nature of the story is pretty bodice-ripper-ish, but I think I was hoping for something a little more intrigue and a little less high school. Eric Bana's Henry the Eigth is a love-sick moron. Natalie Portman, usually good in most things, should simply never play a queen again ... since I think this goes down with Amidala as one of her meh performances. Scarlett Johanson fairs better as the title character and one of the few sympathetic characters. Another, the Boleyn boy, their brother George, is played by the yummy Jim Sturgess - who was Jude in Across the Universe. Kirsten Scott Thomas is the real standout as the sharpwitted Boleyn mom who's the voice of sanity in this most dysfunctional and tragic of families. It could be the defacto first film in a trilogy with Elizabeth and its sequel The Golden Age. Like that latter film, it presents a world where the rulers of England seem to ruled by their hormones and love lives. Perhaps that's the way it was. They were human like the rest of us. But it seems to triviliaze important events, and so it comes off a tad artificial to me and more than a little silly. Otherwise, a handsome production in a period of movie history I've become interested in of late. And I thought the costumes were fine, Shorshah. * * * * * More than anything, it made me feel like watching Jim Sturgess in Across the Universe, the first time I've screened that movie since first seeing it in theaters. Better even than I remembered. Knowing going in how thin the 60's pastiche/standard love story arc the story takes, i was better able to appreciate the film as a non-stop musical spectacle of great Beatles covers and one fantastic number after another. If you haven't seen Across the Universe, get it on DVD. If you're thinking of seeing The Other Boleyn Girl, it's ok to wait for the DVD. . Last edited by innerSpaceman : 03-02-2008 at 11:04 PM.
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03-04-2008, 03:55 PM	#3
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	I've actually watched 4 - yes 4 - movies in the past week. Last night's feature was "The Lost Weekend" - a fantastic and scary film about an alcoholic writer on his "last" binge. 1 is too many and 100 not enough - so true. The night before was "The Darjeling Limited" - Wes Anderson's fun and odd story of three brothers on a quest in India. I really liked it and, if your a Wes Anderson fan, rent it. Oh, and Adrian Brody is still yummy. La Vie en Rose was another alcoholic romp with the talented and tragic Edith Piaf. I knew her music well, but really knew nothing about her life. It was interested from that perspective and I can see why the Best Actress Oscar was awarded to Marion Cottilard - she was spectacular. No Country for Old Men was a previous night's viewing. Not my favorite Cohen Brothers films, but Javier Bardem was scarier than crap and it was beautifully filmed. It was odd seeing this film after a recent viewing of Perdita Durango (also starring Bardem). There were many, many similarities between the 2 films and I ended up combining all of the car crash scenes into one nightmarish crash. I've got a pile of DVDs sitting on the coffee table and may have my own movie fest while I am single. (I've got some fantastic 60's and 70's British films at my fingertips.) It's either that or cleaning the house.
	Submit to Quotes

03-04-2008, 05:30 PM	#4
mousepod You broke your Ramadar! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,635	Last night, at the urging of one of my friends, I watched the Michael Haneke 1997 movie "Funny Games". The version coming out this month appears to be a shot-for-shot remake by the same director. It was one of the most reprehensible films I have ever seen. It made me angry - and if I were to meet Haneke, I'd demand my stolen time back from him. I have to put this turkey up on eBay... __________________ "Give the public everything you can give them, keep the place as clean as you can keep it, keep it friendly" - Walt Disney
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03-04-2008, 05:35 PM	#5
Chernabog Biophage Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: The Moon Posts: 2,679	Hey MP did you watch Ratatouille on Blu Ray yet? __________________ And they say back then our universe Was a coal black egg Until the god inside Burst out and from its shattered shell He made what became the world we know ~ Bjork (Cosmogony)
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03-04-2008, 05:40 PM	#6
Cadaverous Pallor ohhhh baby Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parental Bliss Posts: 12,364	Mmmmmmm Adrian Brody in Darjeeling...... __________________ The second star to the right shines in the night for you
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03-04-2008, 08:08 PM	#7
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	Yes, let's just dump this move crap and talk about Adrian Brody.
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03-04-2008, 08:11 PM	#8
LSPoorEeyorick scribblin' Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: in the moment Posts: 3,872	I understand he's prized among these parts, but I admit that I really don't find him attractive. Not even a little bit! Like Brad Pitt, I find him to be in the... rodent family?
	Submit to Quotes