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marantzo

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:40 pm

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Next page!!!

billyweeds

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:15 pm

Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 20618 Location: New York City

Ghulam wrote:

Apropos of nothing, Social Network and The King's Speech were probably the best movies of 2010, but the ones I enjoyed the most were The Fighter and The Kids are All Right.

I think The Fighter was a better movie than either The King's Speech or The Social Network. More entertaining doesn't necessarily mean less good.

Earl

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:22 pm

Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 2621 Location: Houston

One of the things I liked about "The Fighter" was its use of a certain kind of cinematography during the fight scenes. The story is set in the early-to-mid 90s and the movie was able to replicate perfectly the look of a TV broadcast from that time, the way TV screens looked just before both the TVs and the transmission of the shows went Hi-Def. It made me feel as if I were actually watching the ESPN airing of those fights. It was extremely well crafted.

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billyweeds

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:40 pm

Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 20618 Location: New York City

Going through these lists I am becoming more and more aware that 2010 was a pretty good year at the movies. A lot of people opined on line that it sucked, but I don't agree.

inlareviewer

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:55 pm

Joined: 05 Jul 2004 Posts: 1949 Location: Lawrence, KS

Specific Responsitive Dept.

The Fighter screener got delayed, am unable to get to the cinema this week, so will have to wait to determine whether it seems better to me than Social Network or King's Speech. However, find neither of those films a lesser achievement. The bedridden mater, being possessed of a crush on Mr. Eisenberg, has now seen Network on DiViD 11 times and counting. Given that it's my living room housing her hospital bed, have inevitably caught it, whole and piecemeal. Although still nowhere as affected by it as it wants me to be, must acknowledge many motifs and cross-layered elements that didn't hit the first time; even then, it was clearly a brilliantly scripted, acted and executed construct. And, after a second viewing, find Speech, for all its old-school familiarity and innately predictable narrative, a gorgeously assembled, impeccably performed, Golden Age-reminiscent bauble. If either takes the Bald Gold Man With A Sword, I'll not be surprised or particulary upsot.

Still, at present, my 2010 non-Docu or Animated faves are Hereafter, I Love You, Phillip Morris, The Kids Are All Right, Another Year and Rabbit Hole. The Millennium Trilogy (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo/Who Played With Fire/Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest) leads the (pathetically limited) Foreign Language pack, albeit with the proviso that it's all three taken together, which is how we first encountered them (can certainly see how the individual films might elicit quibbles or catcalls).

Edited because, well, because it's what I do, goshdarnit

Last edited by inlareviewer on Tue Mar 22, 2011 3:52 pm; edited 6 times in total
_________________
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billyweeds

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:06 pm

Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 20618 Location: New York City

The King's Speech and The Social Network are both amazing films. I just liked The Fighter a little better.

gromit

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:21 pm

Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 9016 Location: Shanghai

The understated minimalism of Somewhere didn't do much for me. I really grew tired of the sound of the Ferrari after about 5 seconds, and the fact that the engine revving kept recurring throughoutthewholefilm was an annoyance. Also I had a lot of trouble believing or identifying the male lead as a famous celebrity. Not sure exactly why, but I kept having to remind myself: Oh yeah, he's supposed to be a famous movie star. There probably should have been at least one moment where he whipped out some massive charm, instead of just seeming like a privileged schmo. There never was even a hint that this guy had talent or charisma.

The film has some definite re-tread of Lost In Translation, with its celebrity ennui theme, especially obvious in the scenes in Italy. Elle Fanning is eminently watchable, but almost too watchable. I got a rather 70's vibe from the film, combined with a 90's Asian cinema static presentation. Reminded me a good deal of Limits of Control, which I really disliked.

Somewhere also seemed a slight film, like a short stretched to barely an hour and a half, though it felt a good deal longer to me. I wasn't much interested int he theme, characters or style. I think I really only liked the rather symbolic head cast scene, and the friend chatting with the daughter during/after the guitar hero scene.

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gromit

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:31 pm

Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 9016 Location: Shanghai

My Bottom Five of 2010 ("best" to worst):

1. Fish Tank
2. Conviction
3. Secret In Their Eyes
4. Uncle Boonmee
5. My Son My Son What Have Ye Done

Funny, Secret won the foreign Oscar; My Son is Herzog; Uncle Boonmee is an indie critical darling; and Fish Tank had some hipster buzz. Conviction was just bland to the bone -- inoffensively offensive.

But disliking only 5 films -- so far -- for the year is pretty low ... for me. Somewhere just skirted above that line, at least for now, before reflection. I didn't dislike it -- just indifferent, almost impatient.

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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number.

marantzo

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:41 pm

Guest

I guess I'll skip it, seeing as they seem to bring the worst movies here. This week we got the releases of Faster, The Tourist, Charlie St. Cloud, and Skyline. Four films that averaged around 4 out of 10 in most reviews. I'm going to have to find an English speaking version of Tangled. Not optimistic.

gromit

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:00 pm

Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 9016 Location: Shanghai

Did you catch The Wind Journeys?
I really liked that.
Wandering around Northern Colombia with an accordion is my new backup plan in life.

You really wouldn't need English subs for that.
Very little dialogue. Just read a very basic synopsis so you know who the characters are, and you should be fine. Or I could send you the Dvd.

_________________
Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number.

marantzo

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:08 pm

Guest

It was here last year if I remember correctly. I did plan to see it, but for some reason I never got to. I'd read about it and I think it was at a theatre way out of my district and I think it opened shortly before I left.

marantzo

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:11 pm

Guest

Thanks for the dvd offer but it would probably get here after I'd gone. Takes ages to get here. I can probably get it on our TV film choices.

inlareviewer

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:07 am

Joined: 05 Jul 2004 Posts: 1949 Location: Lawrence, KS

billyweeds: And no reason that you shouldn't. It's all so subjective. Am totally stoked to see The Fighter myself.

gromit: Oh my goodness, Wind Journeys. Yes, yes, yes, what a beautiful, Pure Cinema film that is. Thanks ever so much for reminding me about it.

marantzo: Candles still lit for more efficacious film access.

_________________
"And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim

jeremy

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:03 am

Joined: 21 May 2004 Posts: 6794 Location: Derby, England and Hamilton, New Zealand (yes they are about 12,000 miles apart)

I haven't seen The Fighter yet, but I notice it is getting a let of plaudits for ensemble acting. It must be good to best The King's Speech. Colin Firth is a lock for the Oscar for best actor, and Geoffrey Rush is a probable nominee for the supporting actor categorhy. However, it was many of the lesser parts that got my intention: Eve Best, Derek Jacobi, Michael Gambon and Helena Bonham Carter were all good, but the underrated and under-used Guy Pearce was even better. The only bum note was struck by Timothy Spall, whose Churchill, for me, came too close to caracature.

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My irritability keeps me alive and kicking.
I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit.
I know beauty and I know a good thing when I see it.

billyweeds

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 9:55 am

Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 20618 Location: New York City

jeremy wrote:

I agree, but since Churchill himself was (physically and vocally) something of a caricature to begin with, it must be particularly difficult to avoid that trap.

The triumph of Firth and Rush for me was that in the midst of such a marvelous ensemble, any of whom could have stolen many a film, they still managed to be the stars of the pack.

Good for you for singling out the excellent Best, who made a gold mine of her very small role.

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