Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
Clever. Not a typical "Coen Brothers" movie to me.
Two cynics each capitalizing in loveless marriages find each other and something unexpected in each other.
Good twists and changes make this movie worthwhile. The characters and acting is good.
SPOILERS:
They both see their future selves in people they know and seem to not want it. Meanwhile the seemingly true cynic changes his ways even to the point of addressing his colleagues on the topic of 'love.'
How can these two ever trust each other?
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) - 3/5
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Well told. Good twists. I think the character and environmental feel was about as good as it cd be.
It's a fairly long movie and they take full advantage of that. They take their time setting the scene.
Tom wd rather be a fake somebody, then a real nobody. He's willing to go as far as he has to to meet that.
SPOILERS:
As bad as he was, I somehow wanted him to 'get away' w/ it all. I don't know if it was b/c I felt sorry for him and maybe identified w/ him as far as wanting what other people take for granted or if it is b/c I just don't want to see the climax of the tale which I know won't be pretty.
I'm not sure why he killed Peter at the end??? I assume he was planning on killing Meredith when they met later on the boat since she was the last person that cd id him as Dickie. But why kill Peter?
Well told. Good twists. I think the character and environmental feel was about as good as it cd be.
It's a fairly long movie and they take full advantage of that. They take their time setting the scene.
Tom wd rather be a fake somebody, then a real nobody. He's willing to go as far as he has to to meet that.
SPOILERS:
As bad as he was, I somehow wanted him to 'get away' w/ it all. I don't know if it was b/c I felt sorry for him and maybe identified w/ him as far as wanting what other people take for granted or if it is b/c I just don't want to see the climax of the tale which I know won't be pretty.
I'm not sure why he killed Peter at the end??? I assume he was planning on killing Meredith when they met later on the boat since she was the last person that cd id him as Dickie. But why kill Peter?
Man on Fire (2004) - 3/5
Man on Fire (2004)
Powerful and intense.
A man keeping to himself as much as possible is won over by the person he is protecting - a little girl.
SPOILERS:
While remaining merciless in his vengence against her kidnappers, he maintains his value of her.
He's brutal and cold in his actions and discovers the true motives behind her kidnapping. He's able to accept in his reality the price he must pay for her life and reconciles his love for her w/in his loveless life/professional/reality.
Powerful and intense.
A man keeping to himself as much as possible is won over by the person he is protecting - a little girl.
SPOILERS:
While remaining merciless in his vengence against her kidnappers, he maintains his value of her.
He's brutal and cold in his actions and discovers the true motives behind her kidnapping. He's able to accept in his reality the price he must pay for her life and reconciles his love for her w/in his loveless life/professional/reality.
About Schmidt (2002) - 3/5
About Schmidt (2002)
A little thin for what I think they were trying to do, but still fairly original in some aspects: Ndugu's relationship was good.
A man who realizes his life was/is fairly empty and is winding down to even less. He doesn't know how unhappy he really is until he's faced w/ it.
He has made no difference in his life and no one values him or what he's leaving behind.
He shares his life w/ an "off-screen" character and in his honesty makes the only meaningful connection in his (current) life.
It was well told and not too ambitious, but they took a long, slow road to get there.
Side note: Second movie in a row w/ Hope Davis ("American Splendor").
A little thin for what I think they were trying to do, but still fairly original in some aspects: Ndugu's relationship was good.
A man who realizes his life was/is fairly empty and is winding down to even less. He doesn't know how unhappy he really is until he's faced w/ it.
He has made no difference in his life and no one values him or what he's leaving behind.
He shares his life w/ an "off-screen" character and in his honesty makes the only meaningful connection in his (current) life.
It was well told and not too ambitious, but they took a long, slow road to get there.
Side note: Second movie in a row w/ Hope Davis ("American Splendor").
Monday, August 15, 2005
Wedding Crashers (2005) - 3/5
Wedding Crashers (2005) Funny first half. Somewhat clever story w/ two guys and equally important, to me, love stories.
Somewhat slow second half, long time w/ no real dialogue. Somewhat cliché in the end, but it had to be for what it was.
WARNING: Unnecessary nudity and F-bombs galore.
Somewhat slow second half, long time w/ no real dialogue. Somewhat cliché in the end, but it had to be for what it was.
WARNING: Unnecessary nudity and F-bombs galore.
American Splendor (2003) - 3.5/5
American Splendor (2003)
Very creative and original. The movie becomes more real as time goes on.
Harvey is first presented as specifically NOT a superhero - the typical comic book basis. If anything, he's a villian - he brings everyone down. The second event in the movie is his second wife leaving.
His friends move on to better things and he refuses to let go of his collection of records. He is self-proclaimed "doom and gloom" and he's right.
It's not that he sees the negative in things, he just doesn't really care.
Paul Giamatti was spot-on as Harvey. Incredible performance.
It's like reality comic books of a life that is real and a little identifiable. Sometimes a regular life is quite interesting. Actually, the tag line says it "Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff."
Very creative and original. The movie becomes more real as time goes on.
Harvey is first presented as specifically NOT a superhero - the typical comic book basis. If anything, he's a villian - he brings everyone down. The second event in the movie is his second wife leaving.
His friends move on to better things and he refuses to let go of his collection of records. He is self-proclaimed "doom and gloom" and he's right.
It's not that he sees the negative in things, he just doesn't really care.
Paul Giamatti was spot-on as Harvey. Incredible performance.
It's like reality comic books of a life that is real and a little identifiable. Sometimes a regular life is quite interesting. Actually, the tag line says it "Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff."
Ali (2001) - 3.5/5
Ali (2001) Powerful and well done. Not a "boxing movie."
I was surprised to find that this movie glorifies nothing and no one: not Ali, not boxing, not Islam, not really anything. It all looks pretty bad.
The opening scene sets the tone of Ali working out w/ flashes to his background in confusion of identity and Sam Cooke's performance w/ all the ladies.
Ali starts w/a relationship w/ him and soon turns strongly to Malcolm X and Islam. W/ all these relationships and more including the U.S. government, his wives, Don King, etc. he "fights" his own fight in his own way. And usually he loses.
I saw a man who despite all his claims of who he is, he has no idea who he is. He only sees himself as the Champ and is fighting to make it true.
I was surprised to find that this movie glorifies nothing and no one: not Ali, not boxing, not Islam, not really anything. It all looks pretty bad.
The opening scene sets the tone of Ali working out w/ flashes to his background in confusion of identity and Sam Cooke's performance w/ all the ladies.
Ali starts w/a relationship w/ him and soon turns strongly to Malcolm X and Islam. W/ all these relationships and more including the U.S. government, his wives, Don King, etc. he "fights" his own fight in his own way. And usually he loses.
I saw a man who despite all his claims of who he is, he has no idea who he is. He only sees himself as the Champ and is fighting to make it true.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
