Let's Talk Movies v.20! (Period Dramas, Skating Movies, Underrated Films...& More!)

[Nell411]

I tend to think, how much better would those earlier Spider-Man movies have been if they had cast anyone other than Maguire? Seriously, has he been good in anything? Even The Cider House Rules was a lesser movie because of his presence. I haven't seen Sea Biscuit. Will I eat my words because he was the best thing about this movie??

Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper are both in Seabiscuit. I think Jeff Bridges at his weakest (Tron 2 perhaps?) is still better than Maguire. I've only seen Adaptation and The Muppets for Chris Cooper. But as he was hilarious as the villian in The Muppets I'm inclined to think it would be easy for him to out act Maguire as well.

[PeterG]

Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, and Marion Cotillard top the 10 best-actress contenders

The 10 listed in the above article:

Jennifer Lawrence ("Silver Linings Playbook")

Jessica Chastain ("Zero Dark Thirty")

Marion Cotillard ("Rust and Bone")

Keira Knightley ("Anna Karenina")

Emmanuelle Riva ("Amour")

Judi Dench ("The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel")

Quvenzhane Wallis ("Beasts of the Southern Wild")

Naomi Watts ("The Impossible")

Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Smashed")

Laura Linney ("Hyde Park on Hudson")

Hmm, my interest in "The Impossible" begins. In addition to Naomi Watts, it stars Ewan McGregor and Geraldine Page. Here is the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgw394ZKsis

[Artemis@BC]

My viewings over the past week or so:

Detachment - Adrian Brody and a great cast of supporting actors (and the most I've enjoyed Brody since The Pianist). Not an original theme -- how people are connected and disconnected -- but very well executed. Also probably the most realistic depiction of teaching in an improvrished school since Teachers.

The Ambassador - Mads Brügger's gonzo journalism piece about corruption in central African countries. I'm still not sure how I feel about this film. The fact that this corruption exists is hardly news. The fact that anyone can buy diplomatic status is somewhat eye-opening, but he doesn't take that anywhere. Mostly I was put off by how he seemed to be a full and willing participant in the corruption and even perpetrating his own exploitation of the locals. Still, it's quite fascinating to witness this journey, so on that level alone it's worth watching.

Thin Ice -- mildly entertaining and diverting caper film, but nothing special.

Deep Blue Sea -- Another perfect example of a play that should never have been adapted to film. Rachel Weisz, Simon Russell Beale, and Tom Hiddleston all do what they can with the material, but it just doesn't work on screen. At least not in this version. It's actually quite amazing how consistent Rattigan is in taking rich stage scripts and turning them into dry and plodding films -- and still find work. Bleaagh.

[emason]

Hmm, my interest in "The Impossible" begins. In addition to Naomi Watts, it stars Ewan McGregor and Geraldine Page. Here is the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgw394ZKsis

Um, wishful thinking on Geraldine Page? I think it's Geraldine Chaplin, actually.

[my little pony]

i was about to post that i was so excited that geraldine page was still alive, oh well

[PeterG]

They're not the same person??

[Artemis@BC]

4/10 - The Sting – I grabbed this one of the shelf at the library, not remembering if I had ever seen it before. Was really looking forward to watching Newman and Redford on screen together. My one word review for this movie? BORING! I watched this one like “J. Edgar”…over a week or so in three or four sittings. Took a lot of effort to get through this one. “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” is one I haven’t seen since forever…I take it that it is much better than The Sting??

Well, you're definitely in the minority there.

The Sting ends up on many people's lists of best movies of all time -- including mine. Not because it's any great work of art, but just from a pure entertainment standpoint. For me it was less about Newman & Redford, and more about the amazing support cast, and of course the cleverness of the con-artist plotline(s). The latter maybe somewhat dated by now, but at the time it was pure genius. I watched the movie again recently, and thought it still held up. But then, I am a sucker for grifter stories, particularly the ones where the mark deserves to get fleeced.

I enjoyed Butch & Sundance too, but not nearly as much as The Sting. However that's a personal preference thing -- I tend not care much about anything even remotely in the Western genre.

[Nell411]

Well, you're definitely in the minority there.

The Sting ends up on many people's lists of best movies of all time -- including mine. Not because it's any great work of art, but just from a pure entertainment standpoint. For me it was less about Newman & Redford, and more about the amazing support cast, and of course the cleverness of the con-artist plotline(s). The latter maybe somewhat dated by now, but at the time it was pure genius. I watched the movie again recently, and thought it still held up. But then, I am a sucker for grifter stories, particularly the ones where the mark deserves to get fleeced.

I enjoyed Butch & Sundance too, but not nearly as much as The Sting. However that's a personal preference thing -- I tend not care much about anything even remotely in the Western genre.

I love The Sting. But I've always found the last third of the movie really slow. Everything seems to start to drag right when it should be amping up. It picks up in the last 10 minutes, but I always feel like something is missing from it right as it ends.

[immoimeme]

MUST SEE (imo lol) Mads Mikkelson in "Valhalla Rising." I've had it checked out 2 wks now, can't renew, and for the first time in such a long time I can't remember how long it's actually been, I am not going to return it by its due date. Eys! It's_ That_Good. like nothing I've ever seen. too, I'm really really enjoying the Scottish accents. And Mads is grrrrreat, really great. I put him and his one-eye acting up against
Daniel Day-Lewis any day, whee!

[peibeck]

Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, and Marion Cotillard top the 10 best-actress contenders

Laura Linney ("Hyde Park on Hudson")

Hmm, my interest in "The Impossible" begins.

I thought the buzz on "Hyde Park on Hudson" had pretty much tapered off to nothing after the lukewarm reception it got at the Toronto Film Festival? "The Impossible' has gotten a lot of good buzz, but word of mouth is it is also very bleak.

I'm guessing Helen Hunt is going to slide in the supporting race for "The Sessions"? I haven't seen that yet, but I really want to catch it.

[Cachoo]

I just watched John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath. It has been a long time since I watched it as a schoolgirl. I think the film is still wonderful.

[PeterG]

Interesting. I don't recommend any of the smaller releases this week. But I did put them in order of what seems like might be the best ones to see. (Hope that makes sense, it's been a long day! )

November 9 A Royal Affair (Historical romance. From imdb.com: “A young queen, who is married to an insane king, falls secretly in love with her physician - and together they start a revolution that changes a nation forever.”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiHnVMHk6YU

November 9 Dangerous Liasions (Drama with Zi-Yi Zhang [Memoir Of A Geisha, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon])
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvr0SoL7Au4

November 9 LUV (Drama with Common, Charles S. Dutton and Danny Glover)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyvfVyV1eq0

November 9 In Their Skin (Thriller with Selma Blair)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRAW6jKKC8k

November 9 Nature Calls (Comedy with Johnny Knoxville, Patton Oswalt and Maura Tierney)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nmsv1fh3EU

November 9 In Another Country (Drama with Isabelle Huppert)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqfPTpw4yXc

November 9 Christmas in Compton (Comedy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCpDHkkXPO4

[smurfy]

I saw a Royal Affair in my preview movie club. I really liked it, well done costume period piece, great acting. I love British history, and do not know that much Danish history. I enjoyed learning about the siste of George Iii who married the Danish king. Interesting story about the reforms with a love affair.

[Kasey]

Saw "Argo" and "Flight" in the last few weeks. "Argo" is fantastic, through and through....and was proof that on those rare occasions, Ben Affleck can act as well as he directs. Huge amount of brilliant supporting cast members. "Flight"....first 20 minutes were worth the ticket cost for anyone who likes action, for sure....the next hour and half or so was brilliant, unsettling, disturbing, introspective, deep and heartrenching at times....the last 15 or so minutes, total Hollywood flash and crap. Just really felt like the ending was not really realistic, and didn't live up to the rest of the movie. Interestingly, John Goodman was in each of these movies (not known to me or being a reason to me to go see them) and was totally fantastic in each.

[jenny12]

I agree Kasey. Flight started out well but got really cheesy by the end. Too bad because I thought Denzel Washington was really great in it.

[all_empty]

Screened "Lincoln" last night.

After barely making through "Cloud Atlas" last month, I didn't know if I could handle another 2.5 hour movie. Daniel Day Lewis was brilliant, as was Tommy Lee Jones and James Spader. I was expecting a sweeping civil war epic, but it was the opposite. The fighting took place in the House, not the battlefields. There was a nice bit of humor too (thanks to Spader).

I saw "Anna Karenina" a month ago and have to revisit my notes. I didn't love it ... it was more a play than a movie, despite the beautiful costumes and sets. I love British period pieces, and this lacked the Russian "feel" I was expecting.

[all_empty]

I want to see Lincoln, but wonder about Sally Field as Mary Todd. If she turns to Eliza Johnson at the cemetary and says she just wants to "hit something...hit something hard", I will just lose it in the theater!

She basically played Nora Walker ... but in 19th century dresses. She did have a great White House reception scene though.

[jl22aries]

Saw Chaplin's City Lights with a live symphony orchestra and a packed crowd at our historic theatre. It was AMAZING. Chaplin is extraordinary any day, but the combination of the world class orchestra and the captivated crowd...this is what movie going at its best can be like. During the boxing scene, in the span of 10 seconds there were laughs, a collective "oh no", and then a gasp. Loved it.

[Rex]

Watched Company Men with Ben Affleck and Kevin Costner. Costner's Bahhhstahhn accent was wicked shitty, yessih...but it was one of Affleck's better recent performances.

[peibeck]

I saw "Silver Linings Playbook" at the St. Louis Film Festival last night. I lurved it!

DeNiro looks like a lock for a supporting Oscar nod, but the revalation to me was Jennifer Lawrence, who I know got tons of buzz for "Winter's Bone," but who I felt got upstaged by all the good character acting in that movie. (I thought she was okay in "The Hunger Games," but not amazing... and actually pretty damn awful in the "X Men" prequel). Anyway, I found her completely compelling and believable. With the Weinsteins behind this movie, I expect loads of Oscar noms.

"Lincoln" opens limited today and wide next week. Talk about counterprogramming against "Skyfall" and that vampire movie I have no intention of ever seeing. The NYTimes review is glowing: http://movies.nytimes.com/2012/11/09...eid=auto&_r=1& and A.O. Scott is not one to normally glow about recent Spielberg movies.