jeffreyreeser
5Apr12
need to finish this one...
Z: Filmography
A stupendous performance from Keaton. He is the reason to see this film. Great supporting turns from Morgan Freeman, M. Emmet Walsh and Kathy Baker as well.
This is my favorite David Fincher film in many ways. It's pure craft which plays to Fincher's visual strengths. It's a great concept and the story is intelligently laid out. Foster is in her element while Forest Whitaker gives a sad, emotional heft to the proceedings.
Great performances and obvious good intentions still yield a mediocre film. The film feels like a collection of moments rather than a cohesive vision. It is worth watching just to see old pros like Duvall, Murray and Spacek share scenes together. The cornpone musical score is overused and starts to seem like a desperate device to give scenes lift they would not otherwise have.
The first 25 minutes of this movie are as good as anything in "Office Space." The film kind of falls apart after that, but the sting of it's provocation is always present. Goldthwait is not fucking around. I give him points for intelligence and nuts.
The most fun I have had watching a movie so far this year. I loved it.
Seen Said likes this
One of the most honest, intelligent and heartfelt films ever made for a young audience.
A clever genre satire made with care and loving attention. Henson was a genius. This film's magic makes you appreciative of his gifts and equally saddened by his loss.
This is Polanski at play. Elegantly filmed with a master's eye for detail. Harrison Ford gives one of his best performances ever.
Trevor Tillman likes this
If not for this movie I would probably not have survived high school. Winona is amazing. The film may be teen angst bullshit with a body count, but it's also a cultural touchstone for my generation.
jeffreyreeser and Kasey like this
"Scarface," has the cult, but "Carlito's Way," deserves one. How Sean Penn did not receive an Oscar Nomination for his performance as Kleinfeld is beyond me. The entire cast in general is exceptional. This is one of the strongest and most dynamic films that De Palma has ever made.
Kenrick Block and Altero like this
Tomas Alfredson is one of the most important filmmakers working today and "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," is his masterwork. Gary Oldman is a lock for best actor.
Kyle Lewis likes this
This film is like a coffee table book. It has some pretty pictures, but once you get beyond those there is not much content. I was unmoved, often bored and by the end I started to question the point of the entire enterprise. Payne seems to be moving towards Cameron Crowe territory with this one.
Seen Said likes this
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jeffreyreeser
6Dec11
what pictures were pretty? this cinematography was pretty boring. i thought the content was great. what a story... except all that "descendents" bullshit... that was so tacked on
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Z
7Dec11
I thought the cinematography was actually quite impressive for an Alexander Payne film. There were several shots that I found to be very striking. Of course when you are shooting in Hawaii you probably have a somewhat unfair advantage when it comes to composing beautiful shots. The movie itself felt melodramatic to me. Similar issues are explored in television movies of the week. Clooney did a decent job of trying to hold things together. However, the film felt like a patchwork of obvious emotional scenes with no real dramatic spine.
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jeffreyreeser
7Dec11
i think your confusing priorities here. payne was not trying to make a film that is compelling and interesting in the tradition sense. if a man if suffering from these conflicts, would you tell him his life is melodramatic? imagine, your wife is dying from cancer and you find out she was sleeping with another guy who she was in love with? same guy who is trying to buy your land, which your family has owned for generations? i mean i doesnt look particularly exciting or subversive on paper, but to actually go through something like that is mind-boggling. the emotional journey that took place is something Payne tried to explore in a realistic fashion. i think he did a pretty good job and i think its ambitious to try to do something that simple, so well. and about the cinematography, i think the shots in sideways are way simpler and better looking and he showed a very cool style in Election and also some memorable stuff in About Schmidt. here, there was almost none of his distinct visual style.
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Z
7Dec11
I agree with you that Payne was not trying to make a film that was compelling or interesting in the traditional sense. At this he has succeeded only too well. I agree that those conflicts could potentially be very dramatic if only one cared at all about the characters. The relentless voice over narration only serves to underline the banal emotions on display. Payne has never been a distinct visual stylist. What I initially responded to in his films was his cynical and jaundiced view of human nature. As he has made more films the rough edges have been sanded down. This is a film designed to flatter and comfort a privileged, upper middle class audience who treat every personal loss and setback as if it is the end of the universe . It's bullshit cinematic comfort food which is not something I ever thought I would see coming from Payne. Also, the wife was in a jet ski accident that put her in a coma. She was not dying of cancer. If she had been dying of cancer I would probably have cared more. We never know her as a character to begin with so what can it possibly mean to the audience? I have trouble feeling bad for George Clooney because he has to step up and actually parent his kids in his wife's absence. A parent dying is a horrible thing, but the kids are spoiled little snots so why should I care about them either? If Payne wanted us to take an emotional journey with the characters then he should have bothered to make them appealing in some way, shape or form. I am not one who feels that characters need to be likeable. However, if you are going to make such a mainstream, surface entertainment then it's probably a good idea to make at least one of the characters worth caring about. I'm also not sure why you find a potential sale of family property inherently dramatic.
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jeffreyreeser
7Dec11
lol my bad about the cancer. well said dude. i cant say i was in love with the characters. also, while i have seen too many upper class "sanded down" films, i think its annoying that just because we expect something different from payne, doesnt mean a departure is a bad thing... i guess im trying pretty hard to like this movie. just because payne has had a cynical jaundiced view in the past doesnt mean he needs to keep one. maybe hes trying to evolve. i mean look at sideways. its about people wine-tasting in santa barbara. its not exactly a harmony korine movie. (btw, you inspired me to change my style picture to sideways), look i get your point, it could have been way better and it was hard for me to see the payne i know and love slowly dying (way too much reitman was visible), but it showed a new direction for him- different kinds of performances. i think really this film is a collection of good performances, exploring what its like to go through this. and thats not enough to make a great film. i know that. and about the property--- i dont think it was inherently dramatic, but thats basically all this guy has to show for is that his ancestors owned all this beautiful land which hes had all these memories with but he doesnt use anymore... i thought there was something there. i just dont see how you could say "not much content." and honestly this is not "surface entertainment" -- i think its a RAW fucking movie, but its pampered and tried to make into a more accessible film by making have all these stupid little montages and stuff. it could have been 30 mins shorter. that was my problem with it. i respect your opinion, i really do, but your not the only punk kid whos gonna be calling out Payne for going mainstream. its pretty obvious. also Cameron crowe is a great filmmaker. hes not consistent, but i think Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous are masterpieces. if he moves in that direction i think thats great. you cant ask a filmmaker to make films with the same attitude after hes already mastered it a few times.
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Z
7Dec11
I respect your opinion as well. You really made me think more about the film and the reasons why I may have liked it or disliked it. Perhaps on second viewing I will find more in it. Payne's films often have a way of deepening and becoming more nuanced the more that you watch them. The first time I saw "About Schmidt," I had a very negative reaction to it, but then I watched it again and again and again. It's one of my favorite films now. Payne is an original film artist as is Cameron Crowe. The only reason I made the comparison to Crowe is because I want Payne to be Payne and not parrot the style of another filmmaker which does not suit him. I checked out your favorite films by the way. You have most excellent taste sir. I say that because it closely mirrors my own.
A triumph in every way. Scorsese's best in quite a long time. I was completely enthralled from start to finish. Made with loving craft this movie is a joyous and passionate ode to the magic of cinema.
Jack Kyser and msmichel like this
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jeffreyreeser
7Dec11
what are you talking about? this movie was boring. only scorsese movie ive fell asleep during. and ive seen almost all of them. ode to cinema my ass... im sick of movies about movies. what kind of adventure was that? they went like three places? 4/10 for the visuals and chloe moretz and sacha baron cohen giving awesome performances
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Z
7Dec11
I had a purely emotional reaction to this film and and I will agree that it is not for all tastes. What I responded to was Scorsese the film fan inviting us to share his passion for cinema. I thought the visuals were astounding and I found the performances to be endearing. I cannot really intellectualize my opinion of this film. I have been less than impressed with the direction that Scorsese seemed to be going in recently. When I saw the previews for this I thought it looked awful. I was pleasantly surprised to become completely involved in what was happening on screen. I cannot say that most people will share this opinion. For whatever reason this one just hit a nerve with me.
I love this movie. Made with great craft and great heart. Horner's score is magnificent.
jeffreyreeser likes this
This is the best film Tim Burton has ever made. Ed idolized Bela Lugosi in the same way that Tim considers Vincent Price to be one of his cherished heroes. This is a movie about film love and it is also a movie about wanting to honor and ultimately take care of your fallen pop culture heroes. It's achingly human and absurdly funny.
Kyle Lewis and Doctor Sodoma like this
One of the best and most interesting films I have seen this year. I found it to be consistently surprising and artfully crafted. The film's breathless pace is exhilarating and is ably supported with a first rate score by The Chemical Brothers.
I fell in love with this movie the first time I saw it. I return to it again and again. The characters are fully realized and warmly depicted. It is cinematic comfort food for me. Every time I watch it I feel healed by it.
This film is tremendous fun to watch. It marries great craft with heaps of retro 80's style. Nicolas Winding Refn is definitely a filmmaker to pay attention to.
Kyle Lewis likes this
A colossal failure. Saoirse Ronan's talent is wasted in an overproduced, elephantine annoyance. Peter Jackson has lost his way as a filmmaker.
Kyle Lewis and Trevor Tillman like this
Always felt great affection for this movie. Gordon is obviously an avid cinephile and his attention to detail pays off. Beautiful to look at with carefully modulated performances that while over the top never descend into mere camp. This film's arch tone anticipated the day glow satire of Heathers and echoes the nightmare logic of Three O' Clock High.
This is my favorite biopic of all time. Jeffery Wright is a revelation as Basquiat. How Wright carries himself, his slight stutter and his mannerisms all work to evoke a man trying to hide a wounded child inside. The movie is adroitly cast and the soundtrack is pitch perfect. Schnabel knows the 80's art scene and has the confidence to portray it honestly. Schnabel's deft cinematic touch works emotional wonders.
dinotone likes this
A beautiful, little gem of a movie. Did not catch it in the theaters. I was blown away the first time I watched it. The ending was emotionally shattering, especially to my pre-teenage eyes. The film stuck with me. I think I eventually bought a used VHS copy which I wore out. This movie is a superior example of economic and extremely efficient Hitchcockian, tension-laced storytellling.
"The Tree of LIfe," is a major work by a master filmmaker. It is a film of stunning psychological complexity and awe-inspiring visual beauty. Terrence Malick labored for ten years to complete it. The film is in many ways a summation of Malick's cinematic exploration of human experience. It will not be a film that everyone can embrace, but those who are open to it will take an emotional journey like no other.
msmichel likes this
Disturbing and artful in equal measure. I believe Von Trier proves himself to be a master with this sickening, repulsive and jaw-droppingly beautiful film. This is a movie not just to be watched, but to be experienced. It takes the viewer to places that most people will not want to go,but the journey is well worth it. Mesmerizing cinema.
K. G. Courtright and msmichel like this
A terrible film and a terrible waste of time for all concerned. Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe seem to actively dislike the idea of Robin Hood and do everything they can to destroy whatever charm the story might have had. The film is a grim, dour, depressing slog of a movie.
I feel that this is a perfect film. It is pure cinema. Van Sant tells us nothing and shows us everything.
Mike and Trevor Tillman like this
This movie is an absolute cinematic gift. The last truly great film that Robert Alltman ever made.
Pauline Kael wrote about how certain directors have an innate film sense. Carpenter is one of those directors. The Thing is right up there with Robert Wise's The Haunting and Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. This is one of the best horror films ever made.
Bava really nailed it with this one.This is his best and most technically accomplished film. A beautiful little slice of gothic horror.
This is by far my favorite Cronenberg film. This is his masterpiece.
