Change Your Image
elkmedicine
Reviews
Comme une image (2004)
Similar to in humor, but even better than a Woody Allen
LOOK AT ME is a comedy with some dramatic elements centered around a twenty-something Parisian woman and her relationship with her father, a famous writer and publisher. The main conflict stems from the daughter being overweight, and having a father who drives her already low self-image into even lower depths. But the story continually spins out more and more characters and plot lines as it progresses, and in the end every thread proves entertaining and vital to the whole. Okay, enough of the wannabe film-critic jargon. This film is fantastic! There are no simple characters-- you will love and hate each of them to varying degrees. The humor is very subtle, razor sharp. I feel like this film accomplishes what Woody Allen almost accomplishes in all of his best films (but ultimately leaves you feeling strangely cold) and that is showing urban intellectuals at their best and their worst, using literary devices, backdrops, and themes to invite the audience to meet on a slightly higher plane of understanding what it means to be alive in one of the world's greatest cities. Most surprising is that the director of the film, Jaoui, is also the most appealing character in it. (Sexy hot french mama too!) She's definitely one of the most gifted triple-threats I've seen come along in years.
The Aviator (2004)
Dude, where's my Scorcese?
Wow. Thoroughly disappointing after being hailed as one of the best films of the year, and Martin Scorcese's masterpiece. What happened to Scorcese the renegade, Scorcese the innovator, Scorcese the detailer!? As always, I should have known that the buzz was just hype. Blanchet's over-acting, her "Hepburnisms", are terribly distracting and prevent her from establishing any sort of honest connection with her fellow actors. (CUT TO: Katherine Hepburn rolling over in her grave!) There is absolutely no chemistry between her and DiCaprio (who's performance is one redeeming aspect of the movie.) There is no plot. I felt as if the same three scenes were being served up over and over and over again in this never ending, overblown, overproduced, morass of poor storytelling. Hughes spends a lot of money, Hughes gets a girl but never gets too close to her, Hughes obsesses over some germs. There, I just spoiled the entire movie for you....and saved you ten bucks.
We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004)
As from a wreck on the 405-- I couldn't look away!
It held my attention, of that much I'm certain. I suppose I'm even angry at the film for it's riveting performances. Man it left me cold, and I have to ask, "Were these people ever happy?" The story almost seems implausible to me for that reason. I mean, even the most f'd up couple that I know, bear shreds of some former happiness that allows you to see how they got together in the first place. These people don't. I think the script is so rooted in the supposition that these characters are miserable in their lives, that it squanders an opportunity to give them more dimension, and allow more viewers to connect with the film. You know, depressed people are often overwhelmed by extreme happiness. It's what sometimes makes them so attractive and insightful. Also, it's as if the film completely disregards the undeniable, self-preserving power humans have to deceive themselves. It's not like we have the ability to just turn that off, and see life for what it really is. It's an instinct, or perhaps neurosis, that even the most stripped-raw individual carries with them to the grave. It's a fact that all light travels through some sort of prism. Could anyone in reality swallow this much truth about their own soul, their own character? I mean at some point it becomes unbelievable that these people would even be interested in saving themselves, or their marriage. I also have to say it's ironic that like both sets of parents in this story, Curran and Gross fail at any attempts to understand the children's perspective here. The little ones are satellites to the husband/wife relationship, rather than the molten core, rather than operators in the outcome.
Perhaps I'm wrong to compare the world of this film with reality, but when I don't I'm left with the disturbing sense that I just wasted two hours of my life.
Laura Dern is the kernel of truth here, and I admired the film for it's unflinching exploration of the dark side. If you like it dark, 6/10. If you don't, don't bother.
Sideways (2004)
Morally Bankrupt? Call me!
My girlfriend is lucky enough to be on the Screen Actor Guild Awards nominating committee this year, so the promotional DVDs are flowing in, and SIDEWAYS is absolutely the best film we've seen so far. (Kinsey is a close second.) Paul Giamatti should get a nomination for this, and I want people on IMDb to start understanding that when you critique a film, it's not ALL about liking the character-- one IMDBer commenting on this film trashed Sideways because she thought the characters were morally bankrupt, and I challenge all of you to show me a good movie where the main characters aren't! That's how the necessary element of conflict is created in a story!
Can you really only enjoy films where the characters in them are people you'd have over for dinner? OPEN YOUR MINDS! Feature Films are not popularity contests, and as far as I'm concerned, neither are awards competitions. Giamatti steals cash from his mother's bedroom dresser drawer near the beginning of the film. Morally reprehensible? Absolutely! But my heart broke for him when he did it. You could see how much he hated himself in that moment!!! Giamatti's ability to have intensely personal thoughts flash through his eyes like flickering film through a projector, all the while maintaining such beautiful stillness, was for me breathtaking. Giamatti makes you completely suspend your disbelief...he makes you feel like you have ESP!!!
Thomas Hayden Church was hilarious as his ex-college roommate/infantile thirtysomething playboy buddy who can't let go of "his plight." He's a stitch. And I agree with everyone, Virgina Madsen makes you melt in this film. She is scrumptuous. Remember, IMDb moralists,...people who live in glass movie-houses, shouldn't throw popcorn! ~peace