Thursday
Mar142013
What's on your (cinematic) mind?
Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 9:36PM Pardon my absence but what's going on with you & the movies. At least internally?
Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 9:36PM 
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Reader Comments (52)
Just super excited about the Veronica Mars movie!
Agreed with Mr. Fox. Please oh please let Pushing Daisies be next!
Katie Jarvis. If she hasn't moved on, treatment = gross.
The Disney princesses. Has everyone seen the After Ever After video on YouTube? Amazing.
Strep Throat wears granny panties and she scratches them. Miss me Nathaniel?!
Frances Ha and Before Midnight. I can't wait!
Also Stoker, which will open in montreal and kick off 2013. I'm saving your review until after I see it, so I'll finally get to see what's so beautiful/repugnant about it.
Isn't it kind of sad that the despite having four Golden Globes and two Emmys, the only MOVIE Claire Danes will ever be remembered for is "Romeo + Juliet"? I mean, that's one hell of a way to be remembered, but still... I wonder why her film career didn't take?
Danes is still young and hopefully still has a long career ahead of her. Maybe she will venture back onto the silver screen again someday?
The only thing that is very randomly on my cinematic mind is Jean Hagen's superlative performance in Singin' In the Rain.
I still can't stop thinking about the Girls episode from this past Sunday. Cinematic enough?
In the last week I've watched Hustle & Flow, The Piano, United 93, and World Trade Center. I also started watching Ordinary People (which is pretty amazing so far).
Hustle & Flow was good - I see how Taraji worked her way into a bigger career, she's so damn lovable.
The Piano was so great. Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin were flawless. When *spoiler* he chopped off her finger, I was devastated.
United 93 was very well done, and I liked the use of unknown actors as it helped create the real nature of the event, but it was just so damn sad. You want them to somehow land the plane at the end but you know its not gonna happen.
World Trade Center wasn't as good as United 93, but was less depressing since people survived, and I loved seeing Viola Davis pop up randomly towards the end in a scene with Maria Bello. I was thinking, who would've known when first watching this when it came out, that this random black actress would become a household name/huge star, and Oscar-winning actress (shut up, she won, SHE WON DAMMIT). It's crazy and awesome.
I need to finish Ordinary People now.
This Week I really loved Pola X, Barbarella, The Piano & Beyond the Hills all their were amazing.
I watched Dead Man Walking, Mighty Aphrodite, Bullets Over broadway, The Piano, My Cousin Vinny. If you can notice they are all Oscar winners in acting categories. I had this project on my own that I choose to watch all the films that won oscars for leading or supporting actress and I finally did it with these ones.
and Hannah is right that episode of girls was great!
Stoker's release is making me mad. The film had far too big a marketing push at my local indie-friendly multiplex to not get a release by the third week especially considering its proximity to NYC and the amount of Academy members who live in the surrounding suburbs. Yet, here we are, about to go into week three of its limited release and its not expanding to (gasp) 20 miles outside of NYC. What's happening with it? Do they not want me to see another Chan-wook Park film in theaters? They've been doing a very good job of that since Three...Extremes by chance when wandering around NYC.
I mean, The Gatekeepers pulled a similar stunt but I was able to get a concrete date from the theater on when it would play there. I mention Stoker and the theater employees look at me like I have two heads.
Meanwhile, I walk into any horror, suspense, indie, or foreign film there and see the trailer for it. The poster keeps getting shuffled around the lobby. It's toying with me and I don't like that. The Paperboy did the same thing and I wound up having to catch it on DVD after only one week of two oddly-timed screenings a day at that theater.
I just visited Baltimore for the first time today & being a HUGE Water/Divine nut it was a big moment for me...almost made me want to eat dog shit!
BARRY LYNDON - I was just at the Stanley Kubrick exhibit at LACMA. Such a good exhibit! I need to watch that movie again!
There was a Nicole Kidman movie marathon at my house! I saw Jonathan Glazer's Birth for the first time this weekend. It was challenging, thoughtful, beautiful, confusing, messy and exquisite (sometimes all in the same scene). Margot at the Wedding was next and I think I might prefer it to The Squid and the Whale (I know I'm in the minority there). I'm now anxiously anticipating Frances Ha. Baumbach has a real knack for drawing out great performances out of his actresses (Linney, JJL, Kidman, Gerwig). He's a lot like von Trier in that way...
I finally got to see Paris is Burning and Caged!
I admit it: I'm curious about Spring Breakers.
Robert G - I'm really annoyed about the Stoker expansion too. The only non-NYC theater its playing at in the Tri-State area is a Cleaview hole in the wall in Bronxville. Its literally one of the worst theaters in Westchester county. If that's the only option you're basically better off just waiting for the blu ray. I'm now planning to make a trip into NYC sometime next week to catch it at the Lincoln Square Loews theater. Ridiculous, though. I'm not opposed to platform releases in general, but this is totally distributor malpractice on the part of Fox Searchlight.
But that's now what's on my mind - I'm sort of befuddled by the announcement of Colin Treverrow as the Jurassic Park 4 director. I know most people are probably not super excited about this, but I am - JP is one of my all time favorite movies, and I really enjoyed both its sequels (the bar is pretty low for me when dinosaurs are involved, what can I say!). Rumors of Spielberg coming back to direct were exciting. I liked Safety Not Guaranteed, which Treverrow directed, but... honestly, I just do not see what skill set displayed there will transfer to JP4, and it has seriously dampened my enthusiasm for the film. Maybe that's a good thing, though, because the odds for a Jurassic Park fourquel being really good were probably a lot lower than I'd like to admit anyway. Maybe now I can just be pleasantly surprised if it doesn't suck?
Still thinking about what a missed opportunity "Oz: the Great and Powerful" was! I didn't think Franco was the worst actor (even though one of his poses in the film reminded me of his Oscar "hosting" job), Kunis was actually the major disappointment, especially after Black Swan. Her character was poorly written, and I suspect she isn't as good an actress as say, mm, Jennifer Lawrence (if you have to compare IT girls at this moment). Her facial expressions were non-existent and she overacts when she transformed into the green witch.
Re-watching "Holy Motors", one of my favorite from last year. Then this documentary called "First Positions", and maybe "Departures" (Japan). Very excited to go see "No" on Tuesday! It finally opened in Vancouver!
I'm watching movies that I wanted to watch in it's entirety.(Netflix is fantastic for this on my nights off). I've seen Hustle & Flow, Basquiat, and The Pianist. All three I really enjoyed immensly, however, looking at The Pianist, for some reason, I'm not too keen on Adrien Brody's performance being Oscar- winning worthy. But, it was devestating and very good. Other than that this is the time of year NOT to go to the movie theaters. I'm super suprised at the amount Oz made! And I hear Scott Rudin is making Good Times the movie and I want to be in it!
That's all ;-)
Tory Smith
This isn't really anything cinematic, but numbers only.
It seems like that for almost all of the last 15 years (the exception being 2004), one of the acting nominees will be nominated again in the following year. So chances are that one of this years' will come back next year.
So who'd it be? Chastain? Lawrence? Cooper? Adams? Hoffman? or Watts?
I watched Cold Mountain again last night. I was surprised Nicole Kidman was not nominated, Zee was super irritating.
the sex scene when jude and nicole met again towards the end of show, wow.. so much passion, i suspect they were really touching each other down there
Seen the latest four episodes of Person of Interest. Its a good and entertaining poopcorn series
Are you gonna make a top 10 of the 90s as well? That decade will be very difficult and should be cathegories in the best and personal favs
Nathaniel: What is your thought about Liv Ullmann directing Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell and Samantha Morton in Miss Julie? Sounds like a great material with a very talented cast to me
I've watched Harold and Maude a few days ago. What if you watch it next and hit us with your best shot? It would be tough because there are many.
PS: thanks to guys above I didnt know the rumour about Veronica Mars movie.
Hannah: Me too! That episode of Girls has been pretty much all I've thought about all week.
..been thinking about Behind the Candelabra*. It made me realize that I always thought that if anyone was to take Michael Douglas from behind, that would be Kathleen Turner. :)
Oh my god how times have changed
stjeans: You are/were in my 'hood! Does it live up to your film-influenced expectations?
I've been ruminating about some of the stage musicals that I would like to see adapted for the big screen, particularly "Company" and "Side Show." However, I'm positive that whoever would be chosen to direct either project would find a way to tarnish them somehow, either with bad casting or other poor creative choices.
I know, I know, I keep dredging this British film industry stupidity up (Hollywood isn't to blame for every bad thing happening.) But, seriously? How many people went back to Fish Tank because they said "ooh, Michael Fassbender". And yet, we have no answers. Is it that British filmmaking talent have no idea what to do with someone who probably can't do traditional period? (See also: Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Anna Karenina. Yyyyikes.) Is it that she's retired? (Unfortunate, but understandable.) Did she time travel and change her name to Sally Hawkins or something? (Wait. That could be a great self deprecating movie on both their parts.)
Still swooning over Kiarostami's latest; the man has few equals.
Some talk lately that Streep may go supporting in August :Osage County???
I have been thinking while seeing the latest drek coming out at theaters of last year at this time, when I was really thinking how the Oscars would suck, as there was going to be nothing worth honoring. Then as the year end approached, there was a mushroom cloud of cinematic splendor, and it turned out to be one of the best years in recent memory for the movies. Now, we are once again wandering in the cinematic wasteland, waiting for Joshua to lead us to the Promised Land. How long must we wait? If I see a trailer for Madagascar 5: This Time It's Personal, I just might commit myself.
I'm crossing off films on my Meryl to-see lists.
Finally saw both Heartburn and Marvin's Room.
Neither are my favorites, but both are pretty captivating.
Okay guys. I get it. Sometimes, a reaction would be nice. I even tossed out a good self deprecatingly comedic film idea and no one bit with response and additional commentary.
Drew, I love both these movies, especially Marvin's Room. I've probably seen it about 12 times. I cry everytime. I know this is heresy, but I really wanted Diane to win the Oscar for that. I was in the audience when she was on Oprah right before the Academy Awards. She has always been a fave of mine, and as she was talking to Oprah, she was just so...well, Diane. A wonderful day.
I'm still thinking about how great the music is in European movies from last fall, like the ones used in Rust and Bone and Oslo, August 31st.
volvagia -- if it helps any i think sometimes you're so far off topic that people don't know how to respond. like this Katie Jarvis thing which you've mentioned in many posts (that have nothing to do with her) and i imagine some people have no idea who she is since you regularly provide no context -- just an observation. I know a lot about cinema but there are some comments you make where i have absolutely not a clue what you're talking about (i think it's mostly the batman stuff that throws me).
of course this post is a topic free for all so have at it. Yes, Katie Jarvis was very good in Fish Tank. that's all i'm gonna say about that. First time actors are total crapshoots as far as future work goes whether they're good or horrible. that's the way of the cinema unless the first time actors work for auteurs that tend to like working with the same actors over and over again.
Jamie I have no idea who is saying that -- i assume one of the excitable Oscar sites that needs something to write about -- but that would be weird. "Violet" and "Barbara" are the lead roles in August: Osage County and EVERYTHING spins in Violet's orbit even though Barbara is in some ways the protagonist. Anything less than a Co-Lead campaign for Julia & Meryl will be utter fraud (unless they've really messed with the text of the play)
Manuel excited about it. I did see FAITHLESS which Ullman directed and though I wished it were more visually impressive the perforamcnes were good.
Mac lol. if only. Jude + Nicole = yumminess all around
eurocheese i linked up today
Tyler well she did make a lot of bad film choices... and she was miscast too often i think (or maybe i'm just thinking about Stardust because man alive i thought she was terrible for that.
So, um, it's not EXACTLY cinematic, but broadway.com is doing a bracket "March Madness" game for the greatest Broadway musical of all time and I TOTALLY feel compelled to make a list now, which I HATE because it's SO HARD.
Of course, the bracket (Link: http://www.broadway.com/buzz/168057/march-musical-madness-whats-the-best-broadway-musical-of-all-time/) is TOTALLY suspect because Little Shop was an Off Broadway musical that never played Broadway until over 20 years later and two of musical comedy's most enduring pleasures, Crazy For You and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, aren't included. Not to mention the fact that if they both win their first-round battles, two musicals that are definitely Top Ten material, West Side Story and A Chorus Line, will face off against each other in the SECOND ROUND.
I've also been thinking about why the "supportive wife/girlfriend" role is only relegated to the supporting actress lineup. Why are these roles in supporting actor not as well regarded?
The reason it crossed my mind is I was watching Erin Brockovich. Albert Finney is quite stupendous and in such a different kind of role for him.
But Aaron Eckhart is really phenomenal. His George holds such a presence in the film showing his support and eventual frustrations with his own limits of how he can contribute to Erin's life and work.
He really stunned me this time around.
Ms. Danes made one fatal error in her film career--The Mod Squad.
Internally, I'm dreaming of Angela Bassett getting a second Oscar nomination (and maybe her first win!). She looks pretty fierce in that "Olympus Has Fallen" trailer, but I don't know if her role is sizeable enough to garner any awards buzz by the year's end. I know she has that Lifetime film "Betty and Coretta" last month, so perhaps if she can nab some Golden Globe/Emmy noms/wins, that could propel her to get some Oscar buzz for one of her theatrical roles? Come on girl!
I started Queen Christina and now I'm on a Classic Hollywood Crossdressers kick.
Trying to decide on what to see this weekend. Should it be Stoker, No, or Lore?
I'm still sad about Emmanuelle Riva losing the Oscar (also about Trintignant not being nominated). Here I'm hoping she'll get great roles, will be nominated again in the future and hopefully win (yes, that's a lot, but I can dream and there's always room in the supporting category for any kind of women).
I keep thinking that sometime in the future I'll get to see Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston as the Last Lovers Left Alive in a Jim Jarmusch movie. Finally something where I am the target audience.
The Great Gatsby in 3D. I am a sucker for 3D and after seeing the trailer in 3D and Life of Pi in 3D I am looking forward to being fully immersed in the world of Fitz and Baz. I don't care if I have to go on my own. I don't care what the critics say. I'm there with glasses on ASAP. End of story.
Recently I was looking into the comedy/musical acting categories at the Golden Globes. I was wondering how often (if ever) did the majority of the Oscar pool come from that category.
It only happened once, I believe, in the actor category, and that was in like '77 when Richard Dreyfuss, Woody Allen, and John Travolta all made it to the Oscar shortlist. I believe for actress, it happened twice. Oh, no, three times. Once in '64 when Julie Andrews, Sophia Loren, and Debbie Reynolds all transferred to Oscar, then in '79 with Bette Midler, Jill Clayburgh, and Marsha Mason, and then one last time in '05 with Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench, and Keira Knightley (was that a comedy at all? i feel like this is another 'Ghost' moment).
I think this is interesting to look at. No more than three nominees from the comedy/musical categories have ever transferred, and even three has only happened a small enough amount of times that you can count on one hand, whereas there are many years where the entire drama category transfers. I will say there are many years where two nominees were also Oscar nominated, so it could be worse, but there are many years where all of the musical/comedy actors or actresses are shut out on Oscar nominations morning, and that has NEVER happened in either category for drama.
Not to mention, in each case where three nominees from musical/comedy transferred, the winner of the globe was the eventual oscar winner. Never have they just all been nominated, one was the eventual winner.
Another thing is the fact that a lot of the musical/comedy nominees/winners are actually in dramatic films that either aren't truly musicals or are more dramatic than actually comedic.
I guess what I was taking away from this is obviously the Academy (and people in general, I suppose) doesn't respect comedy, but I wish they did. Nothing new, but it was interesting to look into.
Well first of all, this is my first time commenting on The Film Experience so hellooo. I became a huge fan from listening to your podcasts over the past Oscar season.
I have been thinking about how its so funny the actors that are being considered potential oscar front runners for next season; Steve Carrell for Foxcatcher, Matthew Mcconaughey for Dallas Buyers Club and Cameron Diaz for The Counselor. To look at it one would almost think it's an SNL sketch of some sort. Granted I've loved all of them in particular performances (though I do feel like Cameron Diaz is only as good as her material and scene partners). But it still makes me wonder who we will be talking about come the end of the year. Personally I would love for Nicole Kidman to come out of nowhere and sweep. I was thinking it was going to be for her role in "The Danish Girl', but damn that movie is having a world of trouble getting made.
^ Interesting ... let's see if Cameron Diaz can actually get a nomination this time. Must blow to get the GG + SAG nod combo twice and get left out of the Oscar lineup both times, lol.
Hah, I wish The Danish Girl was being made. I've been waiting like four years now. Who was it? Nicole and Gwyneth, Nicole and Charlize, Nicole and Marion ... wasn't Rachel Weisz even attached at one point? Pretty sure it's never getting made lol. Hope Nicole does show up at the end of the year though! Which I could see happening.
As ambivalent (at best) I am about Zack Snyder, I really hope Man of Steel is great. Not objectively good but great. I only started thinking about it again because of the Empire Magazine cover of Henry Cavill and Amy Adams and people sniping that Amy is 'too old' for Lois aka too old to be pined for by Superman. Honestly, if Lois Lane is some hot-shot reporter entrusted with some of biggest stories for The Daily Planet, she better have some veteran experience.
Also I watched Point Break, Take Shelter, and Bananas each again. I have a fondness for all of them but with Bananas, although a pretty funny and interesting political satire of a specific time, I feel like early Woody Allen sans Gordon Willis is missing something.
Spring Breakers is on my mind. I am still trying to figure out which local theaters around me will show it. And, I am still looking forward to Stoker, that is coming to my area on Friday, though I agree the roll-out of it was pretty terrible.