NOTE: FROM THIS POINT ON, I WILL NOT CONTINUE ADDING FILMS TO MY RANKING SYSTEM. I HAVE DECIDED THAT TO FINISH OFF THE YEAR, I WILL CULMINATE WITH SLOWLY RELEASED TOP 10 LIST, HOPEFULLY TO BUILD SOME SUSPENSE (FOR ANYONE THAT IS INTERESTED).
November 5, 2005 The Legend of Zorro
As far as I'm concerned, this is as close to an American fairy tale as your going to get. I absolutely love the story of the masked bandit fighting for the good (and poor) people of California. It's so...American! So why do they insist on making the iconic hero nothing more than a live-action cartoon? Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are perfectly cast, and make a handsome couple, but there's only so much two talented actors can do with a paint-by-numbers script. The highly choreographed scenes are fine, and the costumes are absolutely breathtaking (gotta love the black hat!), but it's the ludicrous proposition of a plot that is baffling. James Horner should also get props for displaying his range as a Hollywood composer. All in all, a fine time at the movies. Grade: B
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Chicken Little
You try too hard
to restore the greatness
of a heritage past.
Your vibrant character design
does not make up
for lack of depth or emotion.
Your comedic script
is neither fresh or original,
but a used, hand-me-down
of recent masterpieces.
Your are funny in places,
weak in others,
trite for most of the time.
In the end,
you are not as bad
as this poem.
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Elizabeth
Forget the 1998 debate of Shakespeare in Love vs. Saving Private Ryan. I'm all about the costumes, so the more important issue in my mind is the epic grandeur of Shakespeare in Love vs. Elzabeth. Having seen both films recently, I have come to the conclusion that the Academy was on crack that year. Both fell below expectations. However, I liked Elzabeth a lot. It retained the gritty brutality of the Elzabethean era, and Cate Blanchett did a phenomenal job portrarying The Virgin Queen. Lots of good points in the movies and very true to the essense of the character. In regards to the Oscar categories in which Shakespeare in Love Trumped Elizabeth, here's my take:
Best Actress
The Academy must have looked into a crystal ball and saw Cate Blanchett winning an Oscar for The Aviator, because any other reason for passing up honoring a performance of this caliber is inexcusable and certainly not to a lightweight frivolity like Gwenyth Paltrow.
Best Art Direction
Um...no. The dank castle/dungeon scenes and the floating party are ingenious enough to win on their own merit.
Best Costume Design
Maybe a deserving win. Shakespeare in Love had brigther and more aesthetically pleasing costumes, but Elizabeth were more true to the era...Both gorgeous, but I'm not feeling the glossing over of the former...maybe.
Breakdown: Elizabeth deserved more than a lousy Make-up award. Grade: B+
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice
This is the definitive version of the Jane AUsten masterpiece, no questions asked (and no, not including the 1995 BBC production). Director Joe Wright and his talented screenwriting team were able to preserve the wit and social commentary of the novel, while creating an innately modern message of feminism by subverting the traditional ending of the book. It's amazing what a final three minutes can do to a story. The kiss. The stroking. The sexual whispering. That's modernity for you. I wish Keira Knightley and Matthew McFayden were REALLY actors, then they could have chewed these juicy parts to pieces! Wonderful period piece! Grade: A-
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Walk on Water
I am so glad I finally got around to watching this intriguing film from Israel - I'm finally chipping away at all those small 2005 titles I have missed. I guess I'm trying to build up my moral stamina for Brokeback Mountain. As politically incorrect as that sounds, you have to understand, I don't support homosexuality, but I don't want that to cloud my judgement of the upcoming Ang Lee film. So, Walk on Water became my first "gay" film. And really, that's using the term lightly, since the homo themes are just a sidenote to the overall film. It's a finely photography film about an Israeli assasin whose typical mission is to hunt down ex-Nazis and other enemies of the Jewish estate. In an attempt to kill one of the leading death heads of the Holocaust, he must befriend the man's grandchildren. In doing so, he builds a genuine relationship that transcends the century of hate stored in the protagonist's conscience. The male grandchild happens to be gay, which is at first very traumatic for the somewhat homophobic assasin. Walk on Water is nicely written, directed, and acted. It has its apparant flaws: for one, it drags in places, but it's a richly taken photograph worth seeing. Grade: B+
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Mysterious Skin
Take the shock value of my previous screening and multiply that by three and you have the hardest sale of 2005: a sprawling drama about two sexually abused boys who grow up to be two social misfits: one who thinks his abuse was due to alien abduction, and the other, who takes his rage out in the form of his teenage profession - a bonafide teenage hustler. The literal images of the film are blatantly gruesome, captured by beautifully realized cinematography. For a low-budge indie, this movie looks suprisingly "pretty," in the sense that the production values are very refined. This really disturbing film falls under the category of gritty and thought-provoking, but probably something I will choose never to see again. Joshua Levitt-Gordon's performance is a stand-out. Wow. Grade: B
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Rent
Yet another love it or hate it entry in the musical genre. For the record, I loved Dancer in the Dark (2000) , I loved Moulin Rouge! (2001), I really liked Chicago (2002), and I kind of hated The Phantom of the Opera (2004), so I would have to say I'm in the camp who believe musicals are great only when done right. It's obvious that the critics (as a consensus) do not like Rent (2005), but I do. (Surprise!) I can see why the don't: it's a glossy reproduction of a stage musical about bohemian squatters in New York's East Village. Clearly, Chris Columbus was not meant for the job. Material of this sort should have been handled by a gritty director like Spike Lee or Martin Scorcese, someone who wasn't afraid to lay out the issues without making it more family friendly. Columbus makes the pansexual cast of characters more accessible, but I don't know if that's a good thing. Modeled after the famous opera La Boheme, this is obviously supposed to be a tragedy, but the way it's presented onscreen, I get the sense of camp emotion, particularly hokey sadness. It's moving nonetheless, but I can't help but feel that I was moved the wrong way, you know? There's been some complaints about the shooting of the musical numbers, the obvious fact that the braindead director does not know how to handle a libretto more similar to opera than musical. The transitions do seem akward at time, but after the first eponymous number that reeked of "disaster ahead," I gave in and enjoyed the diverse score. The cast is perfect, even if they're obviously too old for their roles. Rosario Dawson and Wilson Jermaine Herredia are the stand-outs in my opinion, and if Columbia wants to campaign individuals for awards, they would be it. One of the first-billed "stars," Taye Diggs is practically a non-entity. He drives the action, but from offstage, or should I say offscreen? Anyway, Anthony Rapp and sometimes a couple of the others come off a tad bit too theatrical and cheeky, but nothing to reallyl complain about. All in all, I don't think it's a good movie by technical standards, but boy is it enjoyable. The rewatchability factor is really, high, too, which I guess in this stuffy year of sad cinema, is a good thing if nothing else. Grade: B+
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Corpse Bride, Wallace and Gromit, and Chicken Little reviews can be found in their respective threads.
Corpse Bride 6/10
Wallace and Gromit 9/10
Chicken Little 5/10
Alexander
First lets say that I love epic movies. I loved Gladiator, King Arthur, Kingdom of Heaven, Titanic, Lord of the Rings, and Troy. But yet, I despise Alexander. The plot was so long and drawn out, that my attention barely wanted to hold. I got tired of the movie in the first three minutes while Anthony Hopkins was acting. The actors from Angelina, Kilmer, Farell, Dawson, and Hopkins had no chemistry. The movie was a blur. The score is ummemorable The only good part of the movie was the background. The picture of the movie was awesome. Some of the scenes were great. However, that alone is not enough to save a movie. 2/10
The Ring Two
How can I say this? Naomi Watts did the best she possibly could with a plot like this. The sequel was uneeded, even more than Cinderella II was to Cinderella. The Ring was one of the best recent horror movies, but its sequel does not live up. The plot was very bland and straightforward. But the scary facor was not there, nor was the depth. I really have forgotten this movie already. 3/10
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
This was definately one of the best movies of 2004. The acting be all the actors was superb. The plot was very thorough and deep. The screenplay was riveting, as was most of the score. This movie deserved more credit. It got robbed at the Oscars by a movie call Sideways. 9/10
Hotel Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda would be another one of those movies that deserved a nomination for best picture, but got robbed by Ray. The movie was one of the best I've seen in a while. Don Cheadle does nearly flawless acting in the movie. The supporting caste was up there as well. The plot was also very deep. It remindes me of the Interpreter, but on a larger scale. The movie didn't get as much credit as it deserved. 9/10 Thus after seeing Hotel Rwanda, I have finally seen all the best picture nominees for Golden Globes 2005, and my best picture picks now will be: Million Dollar Baby, The Aviator, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Hotel Rwanda, and Finding Neverland.
Akira
What a fantastic movie. It would have to be one of the best anime of all time. The movies plot is one of the most complex I've ever seen. The picture was one of the most beautiful I've seen in a while, by far surpassing nearly all of Disney's. The only thing that hurt this movie from getting a ten is that it was confusing at times. 9/10
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
I loved this movie. It really deserves to be getting the attention its getting. The acting keeps getting better. Once again the score is good. But I also have complaints on it. The kiddie jokes are not too amusing. Second it was too rushed. If I had never read the book twice, I would of felt lost. But overall it was good. 8/10
Best Movies of 2009:
1. Moon
2. Inglorious Basterds
3. The Hurt Locker
4. Coraline
5. Ponyo
The Squid and the Whale
People wondering why people are increasinly seaking "indie" entertainment should do themselves a favor and watch this beautifully written gem. A pretentious writer (Jeff Daniels) and an equally gifted unpretentious writer (Laura Linney) are about to divorce, and this reaks havoc on their two children in this 80's period peace. Highly symbolic, deeply metaphorical, and unbelievably moving, this movie is a must see for film buffs. Grade: A-
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Syriana
This is a movie about global politics. This movie stars George Clooney. This movie confuses me, because 1.) It's really good. 2.) I really like it. 3.) I felt totally disassociated with everything about it, even though it was clearly made for people who care about the condition of the world. It's end-of-days message and frank pessimism are large spoonfulls of truthfullness, but did the writer-director have to make me feel this bad after taking it? Good people are villafied and killed. Bad people get away with murder (literally) and are idolized. Then there's the in-betweeners, unsure of the moral chessboard their made to play on (Matt Damon, annoying as usual). The screenplay if first rate, but the director should have done more to make the audience care about the characters and their plights, making people want to do something to correct the world's injustice instead of wanting to go hope and curl into a fetal position and weep. Again, really good movie, but I am not particularly moved by it to recommend or to put on a year-end list. Grade: B
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Mad Hot Ballroom
For someone who really enjoys documentaries, I don't see enough, maybe three a year. In the vain of 2003's wonderful Spellbound, this film is about children on a mission: to be the best of the Manhatten/Brooklyn ballroom dancing competition. The film focuses on three groups of children in the New York City area: one a group of inner city Dominican dance naturals, and two groups of middle-class, slightly stiff, plenty awkward, but fully loveable brats...I mean kids. The viewer is involved with all of the subjects involved, much to the commendation of this skilled first-time documentarian. The film is about a dance competition on the surface, but it's also a frighteningly abrasive socio-economic analysis told through the frank observations of the pint-sized subjects. For ten-year-olds, they talk about a lot of things: povery, rape, pregancy, drugs, and future dreams. Disconcerting, but revelatory at the same time. In the end, the two middle-class teams are eliminated in the quarter finals, much to their utter dismay. (The scene of them huddled together crying is truly heartbreaking.) In the end, the Dominicans, with their swiveling hips and flair for theatrical attitude, win the coveted six-foot trophy. They scream up and down, happy for their small victory in life, and we cheer them on as well, for the dancer (and human) in all of us. Grade: B+ This screening has inspired me to look into the other major profile documentaries of 2005. Look for future reviews here of March of the Penguins, Murderball, Grizzly Man, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, and The Parrots of Telegraph Hill.
December 11, 2005
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
For an action movie, there was little action in the first half, indicative of horrible passing. The thing about genre movies is that in order for the to be successful, they must stick to the rules of their respecitive genre. That's why they're GENRE! For a movie with so much senseless violence, I was awfully bored throughout. I was so relieved when it ended because it meant I could resume my daily life. The chemistry between Brad Pitt and Anglina Jolie's lips is great, but that's not enough to keep an audience (or this viewer, at least) involved. Whatever. Grade: C-
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Beautiful, emotional, and subtle - like a poem. This truly amazing film is peerless in its use of visiual and narrative parallels - rocky mountains and rocky relationships abound. True to the form of poetry, the film is sparse in its words, selective in its actions, choicy in its use of background characterization, forming a sweet and bitter experience that is ultimately resonant. Don't dismiss this film as a piece of propganda with an agenda, as FoxNews would have you think. This is a quintessential love story, and whether you believe in its vagueness of morality or not, you must respect the entangling scenario involved: the rise and fall of two cowboys' love affair. I can't really explain how I feel about this movie, because like the very best of this decade (Dancer in the Dark, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), words do not do it justice - but a viewing most certianly will. Ang Lee's slow (literaly) and steady hand has directed another instant masterpiece with some of the most gorgeous photography of Western landscapes every caught on film. Do yourself a favor and see this film. Grade: A
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Beautiful, emotional, and subtle - like a poem. This truly amazing film is peerless in its use of visiual and narrative parallels - rocky mountains and rocky relationships abound. True to the form of poetry, the film is sparse in its words, selective in its actions, choicy in its use of background characterization, forming a sweet and bitter experience that is ultimately resonant. Don't dismiss this film as a piece of propganda with an agenda, as FoxNews would have you think. This is a quintessential love story, and whether you believe in its vagueness of morality or not, you must respect the entangling scenario involved: the rise and fall of two cowboys' love affair. I can't really explain how I feel about this movie, because like the very best of this decade (Dancer in the Dark, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), words do not do it justice - but a viewing most certianly will. Ang Lee's slow (literaly) and steady hand has directed another instant masterpiece with some of the most gorgeous photography of Western landscapes every caught on film. Do yourself a favor and see this film. Grade: A
Great review, Eric! It's exactly what I've been hoping for all along. Can't wait til I see it myself!!
King Kong
Wow, this is the second movie in as many days that earned an applause from the crowd, including me! Peter Jackson makes long movies, but the miracle of his work is that they never feel bloated. Every second of frame is essential to the story, and it helps when its nicely photographed. This remake is no excpetion. It feels as original as it does adapted, fresh as it does classic. The visual effects are ravishingly stunning, creating a fantastical landscape replete with grotesque creatures and exotic fauna. The heart of the story is a bizarro love dynamic, but the pulse lies in the action. Commendable performances all-around, especially Andy Serkis for his take on King Kong himself, also of Lord of the Rings Gollum fame. Mr. Jackson and his exceptional writing team have assembled another fine feature, a testament to what the cinema is capable of, a visual stunning exterior that is neither shallow or intellectually empty. Grade: A
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
The first thing that struck me as I exited the theater was that for a fantasy film, there was not a lot of magic in the air. The film was too somber, too wrapped up in the petty emotions of the children while ignoring the complex mythology of the land of Narnia. The movie is dreadfully paced, with long, lingering shots of the brats stumbling through the landscape, with split second dialogues of pertinent information. Not strong writing in the least. The film is certianly handsome and pleasing to the eye, but in some places, that's not a good thing. There are characters that seem so perfect, they're plasticine, completely unrealistic. The Make-up artists and the art directors and the costumers seemed to be working in seperate vaccums, rather than working in conjunction with each other. The effect is a pleasing and steady amateur's work, certianly incomparable to the magical wizardry of Peter Jackson and Co. The CGI went too far, as well, making Aslan look very cartoonlike, rather than powerful and regal. I'm not displeased with this film in the least, it's just that's it's flaws are way too apparant. I can't help but laugh at two comments in the thread in the main forum: 1.) That the child actor who played Lucy deserves a Best Supporting Actress nomination. Clearly that honor would go to Tilda Swinton if an acting mention from this film came to pass. She was remarkable as the White Witch, which brings me to 2.) Tilda Swinton was revelatory in her subtle and quiet performance. Duh. This proves my theory in one of the major follies of moviegoers: that characters, especially villain, have to be played in an over-the-top, over-cooked manner. What Mrs. Swinton does is nothing new. In fact any good actress would have done the same. No chewing the scenery like actors from certain OTHER fantasy flicks. (Props to her refusal to wear a black wig, wanting to avoid the racist projections of a dark villainess.) Best wishes to Tilda as her name will be popping up in awards season, and here's to hoping that the next installment will involved onscreen and offscreen talent with some classy pedigree. Grade: B
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
The problem with Ron Howard films is that they're perfectly enjoyable, even respectable, slices of entertainment. However, the lack autuerial vision. (Maybe that's becasue Ron Howard is no auteur, but anyway...) I get the feeling after everyone of his films that someone else could have done an equal job, even better. Ron Howard has yet to develop his own signature of filmmaking, which is a distraction because I feel like I've watched the same movie a hundred times. Cinderella Man has way too many derivatives. Why make a triumph-of-the-spirit boxing movie when it's been done before, complete with period costuming and against-all-odds bookmaking. Paul Giamatti is the stand-out as usual and his relationship with Crowe is the heart of the film. Renee Zellweger turns in her worst performance I have ever seen of hers. The problem with one of my ex-favorite actresses is that she's forgoten that her gifts lie in comedy, no drama. And if she's in a drama, it should be a comedic role. The final hour of Cinderella Man is excruciatingly exciting, but the first half of the movie doesn't make it seem worth the wait. Grade: B
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Walk the Line
One of the best movies of the year. The plot was developed throughly. Resse Witherspoon did a career achievment. Her acting was the best of any female I have yet to see this year. She deserves Best Actress. Joaquin Phoenix also did a superb job, but it had a few flaws, which may be good enough to get him nominated for best actor, but not enough to win the award. The movie felt good to me, while I watching it. 9/10
Crash
An overall good movie. However, I felt too rushed. I didn't get that character development I like so much. However the film does deserve some of its praise, do to very good acting, especially by Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, and Terrance Howard. But the major hyperbole for this movie, was too much for me. Grade: 7/10
House of Flying Daggers
Like Crash, I decided to rent this one. It has a rather slow beginning. But once I got the feel for the movie, it became very entertaining. The love story entangled me. It's cinematography was one of the best in 2004. Final grade 7/10
Hide and Seek
How can I put this? This movie just plain sucked. Robert DeNiro and Dakota Fanning both did undeserving performances. The plot held both of them back. The plot was very straightforward. Really it didn't have any suprises. Final 3/10
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
This movie was the best family movie of the year. The plot is developed, something that many recent movies have been afraid of doing (Hary Potter). The acting was also very good for the actors, especially the children, this being their first film. Tilda Swinton was excellent. The CGI was also very well done, and not blown over the top, like King Kong. Score 9.5/10
The Castle of Cagliostro
Miyazaki's first major film as a director. This movie showed so much of Miyazaki's capabilities. The plot was very well developed and had twists. The animation, for 1979, was gorgeous. The charcters, of which many were based off of a t.v. series, were developed and expanded. The movie's major flaw is that you need to have some previous knowledge of the seris to understand it. (I had only seen 2 episodes, which gave me enough knowledge.) I am very glad I picked this up. 8/10
King Kong
All I can say is that this was a great film. The plot was exactly how I like plots, long, but only long-enough for development. Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, and Jack Black all did superb jobs in the film. Jack Black shows that he may be able to jump from comedy into drama, but we will see. The CGI killed this film. When CGI gets so good that everything looks CGI, it becomes overblown. But the cinematography was breathtaking. This film could be a sleeper for best picture, but I doubt it. 9/10
Best Movies of 2009:
1. Moon
2. Inglorious Basterds
3. The Hurt Locker
4. Coraline
5. Ponyo
At long last, I got to see my most anticipated movie of the past three years! And guess what? I'm not dissapointed, even while I was in film-nitpicking-mode. However, it was not anywhere close to one of the best pictures of the year. (Take that as a lesson in objectivity to all you fanboys and star worshipers who claim anything your favorite actor/direction/genre is an instant masterpiece.) The main criticisms of this film is that it's too Westernized and the love story doesn't add up. Most critics are specialists in films, and nothing else. I on the other hand, with a working knowledge of Japanese culture and psychology, can tell you that everything in the story is well placed and is definately there for a reason. The love story was convincing: I also think the problem is that film isn't Westernized ENOUGHT for Americans. It's slow, yes, but that reflects the meditative and sometimes facile aspects of the world of Japan, and the film being called all beauty and no substance is kind of an arguement in favor of the film: In the world of Geisha, beauty and art are synonymous, not disparate entities. THe cast is solid throughout, although I do think it was a folly to have a pan-Asian cast as opposed to all Japanese actors and to have the film play out in English. You can tell some of the non-native speakers are having difficulty with the language. The film is beautiful, probably the most beautiful of the year from a technical/production standpoint. I still feel that this movie is in the Best Picture race, because it will definately appear on ballots from Academy members in the costume, art direction, and cinematography branches, with votes coming in from writers and actors (prestige adaptation plus an clear ensemble performacne; contrary to what might be gleaned from the previews, this is not a one-woman show). Rob Marshall did a commendable job, even though a gritter auteur would have been more suited. (What's with Columbia this year? Throwing two awesome adaptations, Rent and Memoirs of a Geisha, to "safe" directors.) As a fan of the movie musical, I enjoyed Chicago, but instantly saw its flaws. This tale is just as foreign as his first debut, but he does well by concentrating on a key and pivotal parallel in this society: beautiful people amidst beautiful landscapes. Grade: B+
The Top 10 Films of 2005:
1) Brokeback Mountain 2) The Squid and the Whale 3) Me And You And Everyone We Know 4) The New World 5) A History of Violence 6) Match Point 7) Munich 8.) Crash 9) Wallace and Gromit 10) Pride & Prejudice
Yey Prince Eric! I've been waiting for someone to post a review since it came out over there. I'm glad to see you enjoyed it, i've been hearing too much negative comments about the movie lately. I think Rotten tomatoes has an average of 28% of good reviews, so I was anxious about whether it was any good or not .
Thanks for posting this review, I now have an idea of how good the movie was coming from a fan of the book, and not just a general critic.
Rach
EDIT: I just found this and thought it was relevant;
taken from MSN Today;
Geisha author defends film version
The author of Memoirs of a Geisha is defending the film version amid criticism from some experts in the geisha world.
In a letter to The Washington Post, Arthur Golden wrote that "no storyteller or journalist is ever exact enough for an expert".
The film, based on Golden's novel, chronicles a girl's rise from poverty in a Japanese fishing village to life in high society as a geisha - a woman schooled in the art of dance, singing and conversation to be a companion for wealthy men.
Experts have criticised the accuracy of the costumes and dancing in the film.
"It's worth bearing in mind that Hamlet makes poor Danish history and that Lawrence of Arabia grossly oversimplifies the politics and cultures of the Middle East," Golden wrote. "I don't mean to say that drama should never concern itself with factual accuracy, only that a work of art must be judged by a higher standard.
The English-language film has also been criticised by those who felt a movie about Japanese culture should have a Japanese actress in the lead.
The film stars Chinese actresses Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li, and Chinese-Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh.
Nell
Nell is one of those movies in which Jodie Foster shines. She shows that she is one of the best actresses alive. Her performance in Nell was Oscar worthy, yet she did not win, however previous to that she already had 3 nominations and 2 wins. Besides Foster, Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson both do a marvelous job with their roles. It is a suprise neither of them were nominated for best supporting characters. The plot was also very original, even if it was based off an earlier film. The cinematography was beautiful. I am sure glad I have watched this film. 9/10
Memoirs of a Geisha
Critics really turned this film off for me. However, they were wrong. Geisha has proven itself as one of the strongest films of the year. The story was very much believable, and all the acting was believable. However I disagree with the casting. Some actors should not have been cast. The cinematography was definately one of the best of the year. The costumes were also amazing. I am a sucker for time pieces and stories that have large plots. This film suprised me a lot. 9/10
Best Movies of 2009:
1. Moon
2. Inglorious Basterds
3. The Hurt Locker
4. Coraline
5. Ponyo
Grade: B
Great review, Eric! It's exactly what I've been hoping for all along. Can't wait til I see it myself!!
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