99¢: Boogie Nights, First Reformed, Heathers, A History of Violence
Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at 8:00PM Heads up on these great deals for four truly awesome movies on iTunes. iTunes deals expire quickly so if you've always wanted to see or revisit any of these they're only 99¢ this week.
• First Reformed - The nomination leader at the Gotham Awards and we still think Ethan Hawke could nab a Best Actor Oscar nomination for it.
• Boogie Nights - The film that made Paul Thomas Anderson famous, and delivered Julianne Moore 'the foxiest bitch in the whole world' her first Oscar nomination (which she should've won).
• A History of Violence - David Cronenberg's masterful adaptation of a graphic novel nabbed two Oscar nominations for its screenplay and for William Hurt's late film curtain chewing but it started the season with lots more Oscar buzz. It should have been up for everything, especially the big four: Picture, Director, Actor, Actress. It did really well at our own Film Bitch Awards that year winning several medals including the gold for the frankly scorching sex scene between Viggo and Maria Bello in her all time best screen performance.
• Heathers - 'Fuck me gently with a chainsaw...' it's the high school black comedy wherein Winona Ryder's 'teen-angst bullshit has a body count'.
Reader Comments (16)
Speaking of Maria Bello...what happened to her? She was aces in Violence and pretty damn good in World Trade Center among other films, then she dropped off the map. It bums me out how often that happens to actresses.
Boogie Nights is one of the great films of the 90's!!
I'll repeat till it becomes consensus: First Reformed is the film of the decade
Cal Roth: cannot wait to see it and I know Hawke and the screenplay are getting nominated!!
Yes, A History of Violence is excellent and should have been nominated for so much more - and it was such a weak year.
First Reformed: Hope it gets some big nods - especially for Hawke and Schrader.
I rewatched AHOV recently and my goodness has this movie aged badly. Viggo and Maria are good but the rest of the acting is HAMMY and the soundtrack kills the whole movie. Some of the worst teen/kid acting I've seen and such a pedestrian plot. Also what's with the rape scene!?
FYI Heathers is streaming on Netflix!
Bernie: Your comments gave me pause for thought. I think the acting works. It gives the film a sort of heightened energy that contrasts with the complex secrets that the film is keeping. I think the supporting actors playing the gangsters are terrifying. And the kids are fine, I feel - they show us their father's decency, which is important for later. Re: the plot, I don't think it's pedestrian if you think about it from Tom's POV. It has a horrible simplicity and logical momentum he can't escape. As for the rape, it contrasts with the harmonious sex from earlier in the film and shows how far the revelations have brought an ugly violence into the situation. I think it's meant to be disturbing. And I do feel that Cronenberg has tried to shoot it sensitively. (I'm trying not to give any story points away in case readers haven't seen the film.)
Edward L: Interesting perspectives for sure. Disclaimer: I like Cronenberg and I liked the movie when it first came out.
I guess I should start with the soundtrack which I think is wholly inappropriate and takes me out of the movie completely. There are noticeable Lord of the Ring melodies running through the whole thing, and when it's not doing that the music has a schmaltzy Lifetime feel. Now I might have been on board with this as a representation of Viggo's schmaltzy fake persona, had the film made a switch as the tension ramps up and he returns to his former self. But it remains the same throughout, and the bombastic nature of it all kind of undermines the hard work Viggo and Maria are putting in. I much preferred Shore's unsettling work on Spider, which really served to underscore the menace and psychological trauma - and used bouts of silence well.
Viggo and Maria's performances work, in my opinion, although I think her character is ultimately badly served by the script. William Hurt is fine but not Oscar nomination worthy. Ed Harris didn't work for me in this role, although I love him as an actor. I didn't find the other gangsters remotely terrifying and I can't think of anything they did that was terrifying. The teenage son is absolutely atrocious. Those facial reactions are something else. I won't attack the two young girls' performances in the film, other than to say Cronenberg did a better job directing Bradley Hall in Spider.
Plot wise, I think you are right. It is entirely simple - and this might be to the film's credit. But I think combined with all of the other elements I have trouble with, it's detrimental. These characters and situations are not mined for all the goods they should be really. Just as you think it's getting good it gets a bit boring. As far as the rape is concerned, you gave me a new perspective on it. I didn't find it 'disturbing' as such, but a bit cheap and unnecessary. But I like your take.
Nat is Bello really a Lead in AHOV.
Sorry Julianne but Sigourney Weaver should have carried off her Oscar in 97 for The Ice Storm her greatest dramatic performance.
Basinger's Oscar win is fine. Moore won Best Actress when we all assumed she never would.
mark -- i gave her my supporting gold but these days i;m like -- why didnt i consider that a lead... but then, I haven't watched the movie in a long time,
You could put her as Lead like the Globes but really it's Viggo's story but she is indeed excellent in it but I have to give Lead to Allen and Supporting to Adams that year.
Bernie: Thanks for your reply and for sharing your perspective. It gives me a different angle on this fascinating movie.
Maria Bello was as lead as Weisz. Co-lead it's still lead. Julie Christie is not supporting in Dr Zhivago only because Sharif has more screentime. Without Bello and Weisz there would not be AHOV and TCG. Those movies are not defined by their leading actors, but by their relationships with their co-leads.
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