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| gromit |
 Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 1:50 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9008
Location: Shanghai
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bartist wrote:
No idea what Licorice Pizza or Nightmare Alley are doing on a best pic list, they both looked skippable to me, so I did. Was I wrong to do so? Did anyone think these were standouts?.
Those are really the only two out of the nominated films that I'm interested in seeing. Maybe add the Ricardos as well, primarily for Kidman.
With the caveat that a few of the films I know next to nothing about.
Looks like a rather weak year. Or just films not to me taste. |
Last edited by gromit on Wed Feb 09, 2022 12:07 am; edited 1 time in total
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 12:05 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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| gromit--Not a weak year. "West Side Story," "The Power of the Dog," and "Don't Look Up" all qualify as great films. LAST year was a weak year. |
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 1:51 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
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Location: Lawrence, KS
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See, to me "Belfast's" slightness was its strength -- it is a memory piece from a 9-year-old's perspective, after all -- and, as in "CODA," the things that most people dismissed I appreciated. I vividly remember seeing "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" w/my grandparents (burst into tears at that point); my mother and father were constantly at loggerheads about work vs life vs politics, was only vaguely but clearly aware of what was going on in Washington and the military (Army brat, dontcha know), etc., so clearly it had a specific personal pull, and Catriona Balfe not getting a nod was rather a disappointment, though Dame Judi DOES carry the end of the fillum. What can I say? It's all so subjective.
Am thrilled that "CODA's" Troy Kotsur, to whom we once handed an Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle award for his stunning DeafWest turn as Cyrano, is poised to make history, should the two deserving TPOTD nominees split the Supphose Actor vote. While we were sad that Mike Faist's incredible Riff didn't get in there, thank goodness WSS didn't fall prey to the Gold Derby/Awards Daily/IndieWire/etc. prognosticators's predictions (more on that presently), and Ariana Dearest is The One To Beat for Best Supphose Actress.
Since Kristen has been my Prima Donna pick since first seeing the fillum last year, and returning to it thrice this year, was of course thrilled that she managed to overcome the untenable SAG and BAFTA omissions, and La Belle Penélope's astounding turn in "Parallel Mothers" getting in was a lovely surprise. "Flee" making all three slots is great, ditto "Drive My Car" getting Best Picture as well as International Film and Director and Adapted Screenplay, and now I have to see "Worst Person in The World," since it all begins on the page.
Can only concur about "Being The Ricardos" -- LA playwright Justin Tanner refers to Ms. Kidman's turn as "a plastic-faced Lucytrocity," and one only has to see co-exec producer Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill's FB page to know what that fillum was really about. The lack of a screenplay nod for Mr. Sorkin speaks volumes.
From where I sit, the reason Mother Monster didn't get a nod is because (a) it was assumed she would, she likely was #6 on the final tallies (b) her most recent talk show appearances/campaign stumps were read by some as self-delighting, personally revisionist, and grandiose (whether they were or not, it's all about perception); and (c) because the picture, in tone, critical reaction and Industry response, is all over the place. As bravura as she was, it was an operatic, scenery-chewing turn, ricocheting between Mr Driver's Actor's Studio inwardness, Pacino!, etc. doing Brian DePalma outtakes, and Mr. Leto's horrendous appropriation of John Cazale's Fredo by way of a Super Mario Brother. Again, am fairly certain she would be the sixth name if the tallies were revealed.
Having already commented on "Don't Look Up" and Nicky Cage, pro and con, will leave that inclusion and snub, respectively, alone. However, am somewhat surprised to see that "Dune" somehow directed itself, and, having seen neither "Licorice Pizza" nor "Nightmare Alley," cannot comment except that, in the case of the former, National Board of Review can never be entirely discounted, and, in the case of the latter a fixed preferential ballot can (and clearly did) yield unexpected results.
Because, yes, the Oscars are, as willybeeds said, idiotic, meaningless to everyone EXCEPT the filmmakers and nominated artists, but even more so are the awardsologists who went w/previously established "precursors" as a way of predicting, when in fact even before 2020/21's anomoly year and the rise of Omicron, the entire movie business, and certainly that, uh, film society, is irreversibly mutating. Movie theaters are closing left and right, streaming is the means of choice, the AMPAS membership is subtly but definitely shifting in demographic and nationality, and, as William Goldman famously said, nobody knows anything. The old rules increasingly do not apply anymore.
Having said that, while "The Power of The Dog," Ms. Campion, Ms. DeBose and Will Smith seem pretty safe bets, even they're not Mortal Locks -- well, certainly Jane, likely Ariana -- and elsewhere, it's rather an open season, which is kind of cool, seems to me. At least the ceremony can only be better and/or more unpredictable than last year's Worst Oscars Ever debacle. Just saying. inla out |
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| Befade |
| Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 4:06 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 3784
Location: AZ
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I’m so happy to read the Oscar reflections here…..because I’m definitely in agreement with y’all. First of all dump Nicole K. For sure. She didn’t look like Lucy or Nicole. Who was she? Javier has a nose that no way can translate into Ricky. A Waste❗️ I feel the same way about Jennifer Lawrence. Red hair and bangs? That ruined it for me. I admit to being a judge of the visual.
After watching most of the nominees I have to say, I was blown away by Penelope. Beautiful, expressive, heartfelt. (So that became my #1 movie of the year.). Before seeing her I thought Lady Gaga could not be beat. What a bold persona she created.
As to actors and directors. Jane Campion put together a masterpiece. If not a soothing, feel good film. And Benedict who I’m not drawn to could not be beat with his cruel intensity. Never should Adam Driver be overlooked for Annette. He is SO versatile. I’ve liked him since he was in Girls. For some reason I haven’t seen King Richard.
Belfast didn’t grab me I guess because I’m not drawn to anything Irish. Licorice Pizza ……..the only thing nostalgic that I related to were the pimply faces……. The first movie of Nightmare Alley with Tyrone Power was the best. The book was even better. This movie’s director was using it to show off his tricks.
Passing should have gotten something…..if only it’s atmosphere.
Tick tick Boom was so enjoyable. One of my favorites. My 19 year old granddaughter loved West Side Story. She is such a Glee fan that she was familiar with the music. We both loved Maria.
I’m still stuck on Sundown. Want to see it again…….ready for the new year of movies. Seeing Take my Car or Ride my Car or Drive my Car tonight. That will be the 3 hour grand finale. I hope I survive…….. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 5:56 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
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bartist wrote: Befade wrote: Yikes😮 Was that Bart criticizing me…..or Shakespeare?
Methinks the Bard was humorously criticizing his own business. I thought Hamlet's remarks dovetailed well with your reaction to Macbeth (which hasn't reached Stixville yet), and posted on that basis. Will report back when I've seen brother Joel's solo project.
(reposted due to page break, and so Befade would get clarification on the NON-critique) |
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| Befade |
| Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 7:20 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: AZ
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| No problema. I never expect to be esteemed for my diss of Shakespeare. I appreciate your wit. |
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2022 8:51 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 1949
Location: Lawrence, KS
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| Well, gave in and saw the new Nightmare Alley. As a purely visual exercise, it's unquestionably incisive -- the era-detailed costumes, the art direction, the grittiness of the carnival contrasted with the post-Deco opulence of the big city, etc. conjoin to make a, yes, nightmarish dreamscape, with Dan Laustsen's cinematography appropriately alternating Wyeth and Hopper. Certainly the story's innate dark irony is still a trenchant assessment of the underbelly of Americana, and can only appreciate helmer Guillermo del Toro and co-writer Kim Morgan's going back to the substance of William Lindsay Gresham's novel. That is, to the extent that they do: a muted, arid, flat quality hovers between the action and the dialogue -- even when the narrative gets more lurid than the prose of the source, it doesn't so much congeal as curdle. Bradley Cooper tries hard, but I didn't quite buy him as anti-hero Stan Carlisle -- kept wondering what, say, the discredited Armie Hammer might have brought to a role that demands a suave exterior and an absence of internal sympathy (another reason why Tyrone Power in the old film remains revelatory, exuding cold ambition against his matinee idol charms). A good effort, but uninvolving, unconvincing, and wildly overplayed at the denouement. Willem Dafoe as carny boss Clem, Toni Collette and David Straithairn as Zeena and Pete -- so memorably originated by Joan Blondell and Ian Keith -- Rooney Mara as moral epicenter Molly, Richard Jenkins as mogul Ezra Grindle, etc., are effective without being particularly affecting. And then, there's Cate Blanchett as pseudo-psychologist Lilith, who upends Stan at his own game and telegraphs same from her first beautifully composed shot; a blind person would find it hard to miss such feline femme fatale fanfare. All in all, a handsome, technically solid, over-elongated achievement that neither gripped nor disturbed me as much as it clearly intended -- even without observed living grotesques and with a studio-ordained upbeat ending, the 1947 film is far more acute in its rancid attack -- which again made me question remaking it in the first place. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2022 1:12 pm |
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Befade wrote: Confession: I am facing my truth. I don’t like Shakespeare. I don’t get Shakespeare. I don’t like Shakespeare movies. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I guess I don’t care. Funny thing. I saw MacBeth today. I was bored, impatient for it to end. The movie I saw right before was Sundown. The few people who left after were saying “What a waste of time and money. What was that about?” That’s what I would have said after MacBeth. But Sundown was my kind of movie. Very little talking. A focus on one character, Tim Roth, who is an enigma.
The 2 movies had some of the same ingredients: death and violence and family upheavals. But Sundown had a message that you had to work to uncover. And that’s the kind of work I like.
You have to see it in the original Klingon. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2022 3:51 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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Picked up a handful of recent films.
Mank was kind of dull. I was waiting to find out what Welles cut and what he added, and the film for some reason didn't go there. It's kind of disappointing that the film offers almost nothing about Citizen Kane itself.
The one time we see inspiration for a scene in CK is rather clunky and poorly handled.
The sympathy for Marion Davies and her relationship with Mank was semi-interesting, complete with Mank's repeated lame denials the talentless shrill character is based on her.
The film is rather talky. We hear over and over that this is the best thing Mank has ever written. But almost no examples. Everyone caters to or makes excuses for this somewhat annoying writer. Mank's relationship/interactions with MGM and Hearst didn't interest me.
I'd rec watching In A Lonely Place for a much better, more interesting film about a drunk semi-washed-up writer who gets his mojo back but has a dark side. |
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:43 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:47 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
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gromit wrote: Picked up a handful of recent films.
Mank was kind of dull. I was waiting to find out what Welles cut and what he added, and the film for some reason didn't go there. It's kind of disappointing that the film offers almost nothing about Citizen Kane itself.
The one time we see inspiration for a scene in CK is rather clunky and poorly handled.
The sympathy for Marion Davies and her relationship with Mank was semi-interesting, complete with Mank's repeated lame denials the talentless shrill character is based on her.
The film is rather talky. We hear over and over that this is the best thing Mank has ever written. But almost no examples. Everyone caters to or makes excuses for this somewhat annoying writer. Mank's relationship/interactions with MGM and Hearst didn't interest me.
I'd rec watching In A Lonely Place for a much better, more interesting film about a drunk semi-washed-up writer who gets his mojo back but has a dark side.
And THEN, there's THAT. IALP is one of the great unsung fillums, just saying. I appreciated Mank more than loved it, and have to agree w/you -- it was really more about Mr. Fincher wanting to get his late father's script onscreen than anything else, I did actually like the Davies/Mankiewicz relationship, and the cinematography was exceptional (took the award from that, uh, film society, not that this means anything). But, yeah, kind of a missed opportunity. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2022 10:28 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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billyweeds wrote: gromit--Not a weak year. "West Side Story," "The Power of the Dog," and "Don't Look Up" all qualify as great films. LAST year was a weak year.
If that's all you can come up with, it's a weak year. |
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I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 2:15 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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| Mank actually somewhat used the old Orson Welles story about a character (named Mr. Pi or some such) who isn't seen during the first couple of acts but is talked about for some time, which creates excitement and an impression. And they did it with the character Orson Welles. Not sure that was fully successful, and the Welles character had a little trouble generating the requisite charisma, but I thought that was a nifty little insertion. |
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 12:07 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 1949
Location: Lawrence, KS
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gromit wrote: Mank actually somewhat used the old Orson Welles story about a character (named Mr. Pi or some such) who isn't seen during the first couple of acts but is talked about for some time, which creates excitement and an impression. And they did it with the character Orson Welles. Not sure that was fully successful, and the Welles character had a little trouble generating the requisite charisma, but I thought that was a nifty little insertion.
Oh, wow, had forgotten that. Yes. The movie might have benefited from more of that sort of thing. I found Tom BUrke as Welles nominally convincing and rather distracting; most everyone else mainly suggested their real-life counterparts, whereas Welles seemed to be doing an imitation, especially vocally,, and yes, his onscreen charisma was more surface than systemic. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2022 7:59 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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| Watching "The Power of the Dog" on Netflix. Lots of powerful emotions running through this one. |
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