God, I just hate to be the messenger on this, I really do. But take heart - one friend I went with loved it. Might not be a bad idea to lower your expectations significantly I'd say, at least for the cut I saw. There's this overall lack of rhythm and conviction which basically defeated me, but if you're forewarned going in you may fare better than I did. I do hope so.
At the very least, Q'Orianka Kilcher is pretty amazing, and I'm going to be defending Farrell too against the oncoming catcalls. I do think the man can act. (Then again, I fell head over heels for him in the widely-ridiculed A Home at the End of the World, so maybe we're just, you know, meant to be together.)
May start working on a long review soon, after I've cracked King Kong this week - there's a lot to say, and my feelings, though ultimately negative-ish, are pretty complicated. But don't feel any obligation to read it! I hope you all get the chance to decide for yourselves soon, and that it shapes up better for you guys.
Oh no! As soon as I saw the face, I knew that some of my most favorite people (you know who you are) would be rending: rending their clothing, their hair, themselves, you name it. Damn. And just when the "For your consideration" ads have gone up in the NYTimes online.
You'll get a heck of a Thin Red Line defence out of me if you want one - it's my favourite film! But Malick was walking a very thin line himself there (that's precisely what makes the movie so exhilarating, I'd argue) and here he tumbles off it more often than toeing it.
As for AHATEOTW (appropriately ugly acronym, no?) I can't deny that it's terribly flawed. But something about the bungled soapiness of the thing made it a guilty pleasure for this viewer. And I liked all three leads in it quite a lot, I must say.
Speaking of line-walking, that Dallas Roberts has the single best scene in the Joaquin-and-Reese show, doesn't he? As Sam Phillips. It's typical of the movie that he then drops out of it entirely: it's got to be all Johnny and June, all the time, and there's no room at the inn for anyone else. I really thought he did a terrific job with that scene.
I have to agree with Ginger on A Home at the End of the World, though I just spent the morning crying sympathetically through The Notebook, so those slings and arrows of dubious affection will stick to me, too. I'll take Gosling and McAdams in that movie over Farrell and Wright Penn in anything.
This is turning into a three-way skeleton-in-the-movie-closet show-and-tell. I like it! And I adored both leads in The Notebook. But She Hate Me?! Fascinating only for its sheer loathsomeness, surely. I'm not convinced I needed to know Spike Lee's innermost thoughts about What Lesbians Want, and I really wish I could purge them from my system now. But I can't. That movie hangs about in the air like a rancid fart: it's just appalling.
I, like Mr. Chips, will do anything for my students, one of whom, bless her, is writing her term paper on The Notebook. NOW don't you feel bad, Gabriel?
(As if I needed an excuse to watch a movie with Joan Allen in it. Plus, now I'm all caught up on the Whole Rachel McAdams Thing that is sweeping pop movie culture.)
11 comments:
Hair shirts. Ash. Tears. &c.
Shock.
Denial.
Acceptance.
I hope never to reach acceptance. My eyes have to see this film, NOW.
That's the most depressing news I've recieved all year.
:(
God, I just hate to be the messenger on this, I really do. But take heart - one friend I went with loved it. Might not be a bad idea to lower your expectations significantly I'd say, at least for the cut I saw. There's this overall lack of rhythm and conviction which basically defeated me, but if you're forewarned going in you may fare better than I did. I do hope so.
At the very least, Q'Orianka Kilcher is pretty amazing, and I'm going to be defending Farrell too against the oncoming catcalls. I do think the man can act. (Then again, I fell head over heels for him in the widely-ridiculed A Home at the End of the World, so maybe we're just, you know, meant to be together.)
May start working on a long review soon, after I've cracked King Kong this week - there's a lot to say, and my feelings, though ultimately negative-ish, are pretty complicated. But don't feel any obligation to read it! I hope you all get the chance to decide for yourselves soon, and that it shapes up better for you guys.
[/counselling]
Oh no! As soon as I saw the face, I knew that some of my most favorite people (you know who you are) would be rending: rending their clothing, their hair, themselves, you name it. Damn. And just when the "For your consideration" ads have gone up in the NYTimes online.
You'll get a heck of a Thin Red Line defence out of me if you want one - it's my favourite film! But Malick was walking a very thin line himself there (that's precisely what makes the movie so exhilarating, I'd argue) and here he tumbles off it more often than toeing it.
As for AHATEOTW (appropriately ugly acronym, no?) I can't deny that it's terribly flawed. But something about the bungled soapiness of the thing made it a guilty pleasure for this viewer. And I liked all three leads in it quite a lot, I must say.
Speaking of line-walking, that Dallas Roberts has the single best scene in the Joaquin-and-Reese show, doesn't he? As Sam Phillips. It's typical of the movie that he then drops out of it entirely: it's got to be all Johnny and June, all the time, and there's no room at the inn for anyone else. I really thought he did a terrific job with that scene.
I have to agree with Ginger on A Home at the End of the World, though I just spent the morning crying sympathetically through The Notebook, so those slings and arrows of dubious affection will stick to me, too. I'll take Gosling and McAdams in that movie over Farrell and Wright Penn in anything.
Oh, God. I just turned a discussion of Malick into a mash note to The Notebook. Tim, defy your instincts and keep speaking to me, please!
This is turning into a three-way skeleton-in-the-movie-closet show-and-tell. I like it! And I adored both leads in The Notebook. But She Hate Me?! Fascinating only for its sheer loathsomeness, surely. I'm not convinced I needed to know Spike Lee's innermost thoughts about What Lesbians Want, and I really wish I could purge them from my system now. But I can't. That movie hangs about in the air like a rancid fart: it's just appalling.
I, like Mr. Chips, will do anything for my students, one of whom, bless her, is writing her term paper on The Notebook. NOW don't you feel bad, Gabriel?
(As if I needed an excuse to watch a movie with Joan Allen in it. Plus, now I'm all caught up on the Whole Rachel McAdams Thing that is sweeping pop movie culture.)
That's a fab idea. I'll institute it forthwith...
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