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| carrobin |
 Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 1:53 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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| I just watched the DVD of "The American" and found it remarkably predictable (for someone like me who's seen dozens of spy flicks), although I loved the look of the film and Clooney was very good. But can anyone tell me why (in spoiler white) the villain shoots the gorgeous gunwoman just as she's about to shoot Clooney, and then goes after Clooney himself? Why not let her do her job? Oh, and are there really such fancy brothels in small rural Italian villages? |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 1:46 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6963
Location: Black Hills
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SPOILERS FOR THE AMERICAN.....
I thought the ending was a bit muddled, too, but it seemed to me that the villain wanted to get rid of the woman assassin and she was so good the best way to "get the drop on her" was to shoot her while she was busy, and then get rid of Clooney (a liability to the organization after the Swedish mess) himself while he was disoriented and confused by all this. As for the brothel question, I would like to research this for a while in some small Italian town before getting back to you on the matter. Ancillary questions also arise -- is the most stunningly lovely young woman in the village going to be working as a whore, and as just a temp worker until the right man comes along?
I tried to read the book, but it put me right to sleep, so I'm suspecting adaptation to screen improved it a bit. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:02 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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| It did occur to me that the only two major female characters in "The American" were unreasonably beautiful, especially considering their careers. But the filmmakers were probably following the James Bond formula, which does seem to be profitable. (Though at least the Bond folks have added the great Dame Judi Dench.) |
Last edited by carrobin on Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:04 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:02 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
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Location: Black Hills
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"Over the Hedge" -- just caught this, not much into the children's films these days but somehow couldn't resist Gary Shandling as a turtle, Bruce Willis as a thieving raccoon, and Thomas Hayden Church as the man who wants to exterminate them. Throw in William Shatner and Eugene Levy, and you have a decent voice ensemble. Enough adult jokes slipped in, poking fun at suburban life and human wastefulness and gluttony in general, along with sexual innuendos, to make the time pass agreeably. You pretty much know the little film joke that's coming when Wanda Sykes, as a skunk named Stella, seduces a Persian cat.
[/b] |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:09 pm |
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Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12929
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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| Over the Hedge was a lot of fun. I didn't catch on to one of the best jokes until I was in the parking lot. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 4:45 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
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Location: Black Hills
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Which one?
I sort of liked the notion of William Shatner playing a possum who, when threatened, plays dead and each time he dies, OVERACTS. That, and his "Rosebud" line. |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 5:38 pm |
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Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12929
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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| What happens when you give caffeine to a squirrel and the whole world going into slow motion. |
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Rocky Laocoon foretold of Troy's doom, only to find snaky water. They pulled him in and Rocky can't swim. Now Rocky wishes he were an otter! |
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| Earl |
| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:47 pm |
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Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 2621
Location: Houston
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carrobin wrote: I just watched the DVD of "The American" and found it remarkably predictable (for someone like me who's seen dozens of spy flicks), although I loved the look of the film and Clooney was very good. But can anyone tell me why (in spoiler white) the villain shoots the gorgeous gunwoman just as she's about to shoot Clooney, and then goes after Clooney himself? Why not let her do her job? Oh, and are there really such fancy brothels in small rural Italian villages?
I had mixed feelings about The American. It had an interesting set-up, a tedious middle third and then a tense, riveting ending. So overall I liked it.
Now hang on there, Carrobin and Bartist, on that SPOILER question. Re the shooting, I was under the impression that: {SPOILER in white} the rifle the female assassin used backfired on her which caused her to be shot in the face and that Clooney, who built and sold her the rifle, had deliberately rigged it for that to happen because he didn't trust her motives. {END SPOILER}
Yeah, the brothel did look to be a bit much for such a small village.
By the way, did either of you catch the (in white) butterfly, fluttering out of Clooney's car and up to heaven in the final shot? I saw it on the big screen and even there it was small, fleeting and tough to spot. I remember thinking at the time that it would be darn near impossible to see it on a TV no matter how big someone's home screen is. Anyway, I thought it was a nifty touch since that was his nickname. |
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| Earl |
| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 9:50 pm |
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Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 2621
Location: Houston
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Sunset Blvd.
It's not exactly a "Current" film and I didn't see it on a "Couch" either. But Joe Vitus and I did sit on a couch as we enjoyed our drinks in the upstairs bar of the River Oaks Theater just before the Midnight showing last night, so that's close enough. I'd seen the movie before, but never on the big screen and wanted to take advantage of the opportunity.
One of the things I took away from this viewing, and perhaps it sounds weird to say since he was a director, is the acting of Cecil B. DeMille. He's actually a pretty good actor in the few scenes in which he appears. As he views and discusses Norma he conveys respect, admiration and fondness for what she once was mixed with sadness and pity for what she had become.
When the technician puts the spotlight on her and everyone makes a fuss, we see for the first time just how "big" she really was. And then DeMille extinguishes the fun by saying to the technician, "Put that light back where it belongs." In other words, it doesn't belong on Norma anymore. Joe observed to me as we walked out that the scene is also a commentary on fame. She sits in DeMille's chair and no one notices her. It's not until the spotlight is on her that she gets attention from a crowd. Then the spotlight is taken away and everyone reverts to ignoring her. Was it Norma or the spotlight that drew the crowd?
It was a great time at a great movie in a great movie house. |
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"I have a suspicion that you are all mad," said Dr. Renard, smiling sociably; "but God forbid that madness should in any way interrupt friendship." |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 11:50 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: Houston
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There was an apology for the print, which was supposed to be very bad, with scratches on the image and sound. For the first fifteen minutes, no problem. The minute Norma appeared, it was awful. Of course, Norma hates all that "Talk! Talk! Talk!" so perhaps it was appropriate. In concession, they had the dvd playing on an upstairs screen, and I asked Earl if he'd mind moving up there. Which we did. Better sound, but I missed the sharp blacks and whites giving way to a more grayish tone.
I had never realized before how, much like All About Eve, the movie is really high comedy more than dire drama. The sharp one-liners still play, and the audience laughed a lot (with, not at, the film). At the end, the audience applauded, and boy was that applause earned.
But the best revival of the evening wasn't Sunset Blvd. It was hanging out again with Earl. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:27 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: NYC
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Earl wrote: Now hang on there, Carrobin and Bartist, on that SPOILER question. Re the shooting, I was under the impression that: {SPOILER in white} the rifle the female assassin used backfired on her which caused her to be shot in the face and that Clooney, who built and sold her the rifle, had deliberately rigged it for that to happen because he didn't trust her motives. {END SPOILER}
Yeah, the brothel did look to be a bit much for such a small village.
By the way, did either of you catch the (in white) butterfly, fluttering out of Clooney's car and up to heaven in the final shot? I saw it on the big screen and even there it was small, fleeting and tough to spot. I remember thinking at the time that it would be darn near impossible to see it on a TV no matter how big someone's home screen is. Anyway, I thought it was a nifty touch since that was his nickname.
Interesting interpretation of the ending--though I don't remember any indication that he was intending such a thing. I'll watch the last fifteen minutes again, and also look for the butterfly, which I didn't notice. |
Last edited by carrobin on Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:29 am; edited 2 times in total |
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| jeremy |
| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:28 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 6794
Location: Derby, England and Hamilton, New Zealand (yes they are about 12,000 miles apart)
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I didn't mind Over The Hedge, but I am slightly averse to an over-use of wise-cracking in children's entertainment. Sometimes I find it too aggressive, ugly even. For me, a lot of the deconstruction in childrens' films and their playing to an adult audience has seemed lazy and patronising.
For all Disney's faults, they still make an effort to charm. |
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I am angry, I am ill, and I'm as ugly as sin.
My irritability keeps me alive and kicking.
I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit.
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| Ghulam |
| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 1:08 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 4742
Location: Upstate NY
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| Revisited Roman Polanski's Knife in the Water after an interval of 48 years. It holds up quite well. The way he can build up tension out of simple interactions is amazing. |
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| jeremy |
| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 3:28 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 6794
Location: Derby, England and Hamilton, New Zealand (yes they are about 12,000 miles apart)
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| Also, i am developing an almost film wrecking aversion to sassy black females or fiesty Hispanics, even when they come in the form of a skunk or an irritating mammoth. They are the modern equivalent of...The sooner we get our children to recognise basic racial markers the better. |
_________________
I am angry, I am ill, and I'm as ugly as sin.
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. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 6:24 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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Ghulam wrote: Revisited Roman Polanski's Knife in the Water after an interval of 48 years. It holds up quite well. The way he can build up tension out of simple interactions is amazing.
I've never seen it. It's time. |
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