| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| randall |
Posted - 10/05/2008 : 21:17:12
Clint Eastwood's latest flick was the centerpiece of this year's New York Film Festival, and it rocked the house on its second screening, the one I attended. I won't go into the plot enough to invite the Spoiler Police to come and smack me down as hard as the LAPD do with most of the principals here, but this is a pic about a devoted mother [Angelina Jolie] who is willing to go through absolute fucking hell to answer one question: where is my 9-year-old son? I reported him as kidnapped, and you goddam fuckers brought the wrong kid back!!!! Oh, did I mention that this flick's "based" on an actual late-20s case? Guess not. The last 2:00 tries to unravel the truth. I'm amazed that the story bears the writing stamp of Joe Straczynski, better known for his majestic TV series BABYLON 5. Sf or not, it's an assured hand.
Eastwood's calm production facility [here used in the service of Imagine at Universal] produces the most visceral film I've ever seen from him, and that includes UNFORGIVEN. Yet you don't actually witness brutality a la a splatter film; he serves it to you cinematically. However, you cringe whenever the hell Clint wants you to, and it will happen two or three times while you watch.
It's the first 2:20 film that I thought deserved its screentime, since most others are trying to be epics, but this one has a complex story to tell and needed to wind up properly. Eastwood directed this simply because he liked the script, and wouldn't we all. He might not participate in it financially as fully as a Warner Bros./Malpaso production [who really knows?], but he's back in Oscar village right now. I'm so proud of Angelina Jolie, who simply dominates the screen. Never, in 2:20 [less credits] were we anything but enraptured. Check it out and tell me how you feel.
EDIT: This time last year at NYFF, I correctly predicted the Oscar for NO COUNTRY'S Javier Bardem. All I'll say right now is that Jolie absolutely gets a nom, trust me on this, and maybe even the statuette too, though this time I don't have as good a read on her competish. But I'll assure you: she's definitely sitting there in the Kodak Center waiting to hear the results. |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| w22dheartlivie |
Posted - 11/30/2008 : 04:11:02
From very early buzz regarding Benjamin Button, I take it that nominations for Brad and Angie are both possible? How often does it happen that both partners be nominated for Oscars? |
| Salopian |
Posted - 11/29/2008 : 20:24:00
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this film. It is just about perfect and I expect it to at least be nominated in every category.
Wow, from you (who has seen so many films and thus is hard to impress), that's a great endorsement.
I wouldn't quite go that far, but it's a safe 5/5 from me. |
| Salopian |
Posted - 11/29/2008 : 20:12:35
I had no idea until the film started that it is a true story. I read all about it afterwards and found that they did alter some aspects (some minor but pointless to change; some which one would have thought would have been filmmaker's gold but I guess would have shifted the focus). However, all in all it seems pretty faithful to the reality of what happened.
Angelina Jolie gives a very convincing and moving performance with a wide but naturalistic emotional range. In comparison, everyone else has bit parts, especially John Malkovich, whom I had expected to see more of after the trailer. Jeffrey Donovan is excellent though as the police captain that Jolie's character comes up against, menacing and frustrating without being a pantomime villain. |
| randall |
Posted - 10/10/2008 : 11:18:51
quote:
Originally posted by Yukon
(When I heard Clint Eastwood was doing The Changeling, I was thrilled because I thought he was doing a remake.)
 -- I remember that one! Don't worry: your flick will always have a "The" before its title. Clint's new one doesn't. |
| Yukon |
Posted - 10/10/2008 : 01:57:51
And I highly recommend the 1980 Canadian film The Changeling, one of my all-time favourite haunted house movies.
It won the best picture Genie (the Canadian Oscar) and stars George C. Scott. It's hard to find outside of Canada but if you see it, give it a try.
(When I heard Clint Eastwood was doing The Changeling, I was thrilled because I thought he was doing a remake.) |
| BaftaBaby |
Posted - 10/05/2008 : 22:45:12
Just saw the trailer for this - it looks fucking amazing! Dunno how long it'll be before we get it over here, tho.
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This week, as it happens!
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this film. It is just about perfect and I expect it to at least be nominated in every category.
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