Way more interesting than I expected from reading all the negative reviews. Amazing screenplay, seems totally real and cinvincing, and very well played. These are ordinary people, could be one of us. Unlike many fashionable films today, the camera work does not distract from the story, but actually helps to tell it. Kudos to Dave Franco. The ending is very un-Hollywood. That and the realism probably account for all the negative reviews here. It's way better than the usual horror flick, which fortunately it is not. Devoid of sentimentality or gimmicks (digital or otherwise), maybe it is not surprising most movie goers don't care for it.
Reviews
9 Reviews
There Will Be Blood
(2007)
Overrated
22 July 2008
Very weak screenplay with little to create real character. The unlucky actors have almost no material and unfortunately must do what the director asks, which is mostly under- or overacting, depending on the scene, almost none of which seems real. The actual dialog, if you can call it dialog, sounds like an attempt at period speech, but is not at all convincing in that regard. Moreover, the musical accompaniment on the soundtrack is obtrusive, distracting, and calls attention to its supposed high-mindedness. The whole enterprise seems to be the product of a director who, like the characters in the story, such as it is, has gone off the deep end with rather high self regard. The rating this film has received on this site is inexplicable, except to say that the majority of viewers must have been taken in by the excess of pretentious drivel.
Otello
(I) (2001 TV Movie)
Very fine video of Verdi's greatest opera
9 November 2006
For a video of a live, staged opera, it really doesn't get much better than this.
Here we have what is advertised as Placido Domingo's final performance of Otello, and his long experience in this role shows in every detail, amazingly with hardly any trace vocally of his rather advanced age (for a singer) of 64 years.
He is supported by a wonderful cast, and most outstandingly by the superb chorus and orchestra of La Scala, Milan, all conducted by one of the finest and most experienced of Verdi conductors, Riccardo Muti.
The drama crucially benefits from the casting of the young, attractive Barbara Frittoli (who is also blessed with a gorgeous and sensuous voice) as Desdemona, and the young, sexy Cesare Catani as Cassio. The audience can much more readily accept that this much older Otello would be insecure about his marriage with Desdemona and easily deceived by Iago (Leo Nucci) into believing his wife is involved with Cassio.
The set design (Ezio Frigerio) and lighting (Matthew Richardson) are quite beautiful, especially given the limitations of a unitary set and the presumably limited budget. One might have some reservations about the staging of Desdemona's final scene where she is forced to sing the first half of the Ave Maria lying on her side on a bed that looks like a cot. Mostly, however, the stage direction by Graham Vick is naturally appropriate and does not unduly call attention to itself.
The costumes designed by Franca Squarciapino are evocative of the period and place (15th century Cyprus under Venetian rule), and are made from stunningly shiny modern materials which work especially well with the sets. Although these costumes are often beautiful in effect, they unfortunately do not always hang gracefully on the singer's bodies and are sometimes less than flattering.
Finally, the superb video is wide-screen with subtle color and outstanding sound. The video direction, editing, and camera work (Carlo Battistoni, Maurizio Bonomi, and Danilo Marabotto) are all first-rate.
Here we have what is advertised as Placido Domingo's final performance of Otello, and his long experience in this role shows in every detail, amazingly with hardly any trace vocally of his rather advanced age (for a singer) of 64 years.
He is supported by a wonderful cast, and most outstandingly by the superb chorus and orchestra of La Scala, Milan, all conducted by one of the finest and most experienced of Verdi conductors, Riccardo Muti.
The drama crucially benefits from the casting of the young, attractive Barbara Frittoli (who is also blessed with a gorgeous and sensuous voice) as Desdemona, and the young, sexy Cesare Catani as Cassio. The audience can much more readily accept that this much older Otello would be insecure about his marriage with Desdemona and easily deceived by Iago (Leo Nucci) into believing his wife is involved with Cassio.
The set design (Ezio Frigerio) and lighting (Matthew Richardson) are quite beautiful, especially given the limitations of a unitary set and the presumably limited budget. One might have some reservations about the staging of Desdemona's final scene where she is forced to sing the first half of the Ave Maria lying on her side on a bed that looks like a cot. Mostly, however, the stage direction by Graham Vick is naturally appropriate and does not unduly call attention to itself.
The costumes designed by Franca Squarciapino are evocative of the period and place (15th century Cyprus under Venetian rule), and are made from stunningly shiny modern materials which work especially well with the sets. Although these costumes are often beautiful in effect, they unfortunately do not always hang gracefully on the singer's bodies and are sometimes less than flattering.
Finally, the superb video is wide-screen with subtle color and outstanding sound. The video direction, editing, and camera work (Carlo Battistoni, Maurizio Bonomi, and Danilo Marabotto) are all first-rate.
Popular
23 October 2006
"A slotted spoon doesn't hold much soup" is a good characterization of this sometimes appealing entertainment. Although it occasionally rises above the level of television situation comedy, it probably wasn't worth the price of a Broadway ticket (not many Broadway shows are), but if you can get the DVD at a discount, go for it. The DVD accurately documents the stage show, which had high production values (costumes, sets, props, lighting) and a cast filled with highly talented people. Personally I'm not terribly fond of Bernadette Peters, who plays the witch, but the in-the-know audience makes clear she is the "Big Star" of the ensemble, and she certainly qualifies as a peerless and experienced Sondheim interpreter. The camera work is appropriate and rarely calls attention to itself. The frequent intrusion of audience applause/laughter increases the aptness of a comparison to television situation comedy. Fortunately it's "live" and spontaneous, not canned.
The Night Listener
(2006)
The ending may be a cop out
10 August 2006
The book was excellent, and as I remember it, left the central question of the story completely unanswered. I found it unfortunate that the movie has added a short scene at the end which apparently gives a more concrete answer to that question. I suspect this was because the makers felt the audience would be unhappy without some kind of resolution. (I deliberately leave this comment vague, because I do not want to spoil the story for those who have not read the book or have not yet seen the movie.)
Regarding some other comments I have read on this site, the comparisons to Blowup and L'Avventura are very apt, except for the final scene, of course!
Regarding some other comments I have read on this site, the comparisons to Blowup and L'Avventura are very apt, except for the final scene, of course!
Crash
(I) (2004)
Poorly written and annoying film
27 February 2006
The story of this movie deals with issues of prejudice and race in a rather crude and unlikely way. Characters are portrayed as "two-sided" rather than "black-or-white" which might have been a virtue, if it had been done in a half-way believable way. Unfortunately, the screenplay suffers from mediocre writing, and an improbable plot. It's unsubtle, done in a hit-the-viewer- over-the-head style, and betrays the writer's long background in television. Furthermore, the musical soundtrack is highly annoying and distracting. I suppose it's trying to create tension, which the writing fails to do. It's really hard to believe that this movie got a best-picture nomination. But then I thought Million Dollar Baby was also way overrated.
Troy
(2004)
Some points of information
17 May 2004
In Greek myth Briseus was Achilles' favorite slave girl. Chryseis, a priestess of Apollo, was a prize of war for Agamemnon. Achilles forced Agamemnon to return Chryseis to her father, a priest, to appease Apollo, who had caused a pestilence to descend on the Greek troops as punishment for her capture. In retaliation, Agamemnon deprived Achilles of Briseus. In the movie, the two characters are nicely combined in a way which strengthens Achilles' connection to Priam.
The story of the killing of Achilles by Paris shooting Achilles through the heel with an arrow is not found in Homer, but in a later poem called Aethiopis by Arctinus.
According to legend Achilles' mother was a sea nymph named Thetis. In the movie, Julie Christie definitely plays a mortal, not a goddess, although one of the characters mentions his lineage from the gods. According to Homer he was raised by his mother with his inseparable companion and cousin Patroclus. One of the non-Homeric tales of his childhood tells of Thetis dipping him in the River Styx by which he became invulnerable, except for the part of the heel by which she held him.
The character of Aeneas is in the Iliad and he survives the Trojan war, but the handing off of the Trojan sword for the future founding of Rome is pure Virgil.
I hope you get to see the movie. It's not perfect, but there's lots to recommend it.
The story of the killing of Achilles by Paris shooting Achilles through the heel with an arrow is not found in Homer, but in a later poem called Aethiopis by Arctinus.
According to legend Achilles' mother was a sea nymph named Thetis. In the movie, Julie Christie definitely plays a mortal, not a goddess, although one of the characters mentions his lineage from the gods. According to Homer he was raised by his mother with his inseparable companion and cousin Patroclus. One of the non-Homeric tales of his childhood tells of Thetis dipping him in the River Styx by which he became invulnerable, except for the part of the heel by which she held him.
The character of Aeneas is in the Iliad and he survives the Trojan war, but the handing off of the Trojan sword for the future founding of Rome is pure Virgil.
I hope you get to see the movie. It's not perfect, but there's lots to recommend it.
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
(1988 TV Movie)
Documentary Done with Love and Skill
4 January 2004
The great ingenuity and care taken in the preparation of this documentary (over 2 hours in length) reveals the love that the people involved had for this project. It is filled with detail from valuable primary sources: letters, memoes, telegrams, production records, story boards, photographs, voice recordings, film (including home-movies and screen tests, as well as the more usual news footage, outtakes, and movie clips), interviews with those still living, and even employs the actual typewriter Margaret Mitchel used to write her novel. It is unusually well written and edited, and offers many interesting parallels between sentiments expressed by characters in the film and the feelings and motivations of the people who worked on it, via the judicious juxtaposition of clips from the movie with the documentary material. The VHS videotape may not be readily available. I got it from the NY Public Library. Hopefully, this production will be reissued on DVD.
21 Grams
(2003)
Pretentious
30 November 2003
The screenwriter and director appear to have resorted to excessive nonlinear story telling and "arty" film technique to disguise what is a weak and rather corny story. The dialog, if presented in a more conventional form, would have had the audience in stitches. As it is, everyone is having a fun time working out the plot line like a crossword puzzle. Unfortunately, this is not enough to maintain the interest in what is an overly long and pretentious movie.
Tell Your Friends