December 13, 2007
Golden Globe nominations.
Here. Any opinions? I especially like the recognition for Ricky Gervais and "Extras." I find it weird that all "The Sopranos" got was a nomination for Edie Falco. It's as if it's a conscious strategy to force all "Sopranos" support to go to her. I like the nomination of Julie Christie for "Away From Her," but I haven't seen enough of the movies to know who was really the best actress of the year. I see Cate Blanchett got nominated in two categories — and plan to catch "I'm Not There," the one where she plays Bob Dylan, very soon if not today. And this is giving me some other good ideas for movies to see while I'm in Madison, with easy access to many nice theaters. "No Country for Old Men." "Atonement." What else?
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I had high expectations for "I'm not There", but was disappointed, big time, with the film. Cate is very good and perhaps worth the admission if you don't mind sitting through a mess of a movie.
I'd be more interested in the nominees for civil engineering awards. Those folks accomplished something a bit more concrete (ha!) than just acting like someone else.
All the entertainment industry seems to do is give each other awards. It's profoundly boring.
JohnAnnArbor said...
I'd be more interested in the nominees for civil engineering awards. Those folks accomplished something a bit more concrete (ha!) than just acting like someone else.
All the entertainment industry seems to do is give each other awards. It's profoundly boring.
Bit of a humorless prig, aren't you?
I saw No Country For old Men and was so impressed that I resolved to see it a second time. On the other hand it was so grim that I haven't had the stomach for a second go round. Make of that reaction what you will.
Bit of a humorless prig, aren't you?
Actually I agree with John 110%. When you step back and look at it, there are more award shows for these people than whiskey in Ireland. the Golden Globes are nothing more than another segement of the parade of self-congratulation.
It amuses me how the Golden Globes always come out before many of the nominated films have appeared in theaters. If you don't follow films closely, seeing titles like "There Will Be Blood" or "Eastern Promises" almost seem like they're made up, like the movies the Seinfeld characters were always going to (i.e. "Rochelle Rochelle.")
Two of my favorite composers got best song nominations: Marshall Crenshaw and Clint Eastwood.
Much as I love "The Sopranos," I'm kind of glad it has been sidelined in favor of newer dramas. There are some good ones. "Mad Men" and "House" were brilliant. I liked "Damages" - good pulp fiction about lawyers.
"Brotherhood" unfortunately got ignored. That's a Showtime series that perhaps was considered a little too close to "The Sopranos" in subject matter. If so that would be a misnomer. It's the most intelligent and incisive depiction of statehouse and local politics I've ever seen on TV; and the four lead actors clearly should have been considered for awards along with the writers.
When you step back and look at it, there are more award shows for these people than whiskey in Ireland. the Golden Globes are nothing more than another segement of the parade of self-congratulation.
The USA makes a good deal of money by churning out this entertainment. If they can get some poor sucker in Tokyo to shell out a couple more yen because a movie wins a Golden Globe, then I say why not?
I will ask: Who's gonna be writing for the GGs, and who's gonna cross the picket lines if they're still there?
I loved the central conceit of "I'm Not There". Great idea, and well-suited to a Dylan biopic. Very disappointing execution, though. The spot-on (her posture!) Cate Blanchett scenes are wasted just aping "Don't look back", and adds nothing but a didactic tone. I've got a high tolerance for slow pacing and pretension, and I was bored out of my skull..
"No Country for Old Men" is the best thing I've seen in a long time.
To ricpic:
I had the same reaction, but went again anyway. The second time through, it isn't as affecting, and it frees you up to notice the awesome craft behind the suspense and the humor.
I cannot BELIEVE that HBO's The Wire got completely shut out! It continues to be one of the most underrated shows on television.
I saw No Country for Old Men so as always I would love for you to see it - I love reading your movie reviews of films I've seen.
"No Country for Old Men" was a fantastic movie. Definitely one of the Coen Brothers' best. Among their dramas I would rank it ahead of Fargo and behind Miller's Crossing (my personal favorite of theirs); others might order them differently.
No question, "No Country" is a very good existential horror film, whatever that means.
That said, the movie comes to a jarring halt with the second-to-last (?) scene in which Tommy Lee Jones visits his brother (?) who theretofore had made no appearance in the movie.
It was not one of McCarthy's best books. Look for The Road in 2008. That will be something.
Interesting that the Coens have now made pix set in the southwest, south, N. Dakota, LA, and NY (Hudsucker). Real students of America, they are.
I cannot BELIEVE that HBO's The Wire got completely shut out!
No new episodes of The Wire aired in 2007. I definitely agree that it is a great show, though. :)
John Ann Arbor,
Knock yourself out.
It has not been a stellar year for cinema.
A lot of lackluster part-3-of-a-trilogy-that-was-never-planned-as-a-trilogy flicks. But there has been no flock of great films packing the fall and winter.
Last year was excellent.
This year there's No Country and I expect Atonement will be good, and then there's a whole flock of anti-war stuff nobody can be bothered to watch.
You can see where I'm going with this, can't you? The deplorable state of films this year?
I blame Bush.
No Country for Old Men actually reminds me of The Man Who Wasn't There though even the latter film resolves itself cleanly, if somewhat anticlimactically.
In No Country the traditional narrative is merely abandoned--we never see its ending--and then some loose ends run off.
This will really irritate some people.
I'm having a hard time imagining Dekins not winning an Oscar for the cinematography though.
Hot Fuzz - best comedy
I saw "No Country for Old Men" last weekend. Geez, folks, heard of spoilers much?
Althouse: read nothing more about this movie and do go see it.
Now hush, y'all.
I'm pulling for Diablo Cody, who is up for a GG for best screenplay with Juno. Cody started writing a Twin Cities blog, was hired by our free weekly, got a book deal, and followed up with this screenplay. It's been fun watching from the sidelines.
Here's a sample of her writing.
"No Country for Old Men" is the official film for the John McCain campaign. I think they should rethink that.
Other suggestions:
I dare you to go see "Enchanted." The princessification of America continues apace.
For NetFlix or other rental:
Entourage
The Riches [Minnie Driver and Eddie Izzard on F/X]
The princessification of America continues apace
oh, puke
I don't think spoilers are too much of a problem for "No Country for Old Men," since after all it's based on a book which many people have read, and which it follows slavishly. There are significant plot holes in both anyway--but the film is very enjoyable for the excellence of its acting and cinematography.
You'd think the Golden Globes would be for men's action films.
Movies to see, definitely Juno, funny, not perfect, but enjoyable, and Ellen Page deserves the praise she's been getting.
Plus, both the director, Jason Reitman, and the writer Diablo Cody, have blogs.
Persepolis looks interesting, but I haven't seen it yet, so can't recommend based on actual personal knowledge.
I don't think spoilers are too much of a problem for "No Country for Old Men," since after all it's based on a book which many people have read
"Many" in absolute numbers, maybe, but it is safe to say that at least 95% of the adult population of the United States have never read the book.
I'd be more interested in the nominees for civil engineering awards.
How about a medal? Last year, the Army Corps of Engineers hired 14 civil engineers from the ASCE to review the Corps' role in the failure of the New Orleans levee system after Katrina. Happily for the Corps, those civil engineers, whom they'd paid a million dollars for their work, found the Corps had done a pretty damn good job. In Washington DC on February 12, 2007, Lt. Gen Carl Strock, then Commander of the Army Corps gave all fourteen members of the ASCE panel the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal. Yay for the engineers! (source: levees.org)
xwl, I'm looking forward to Persepolis, also.
I'm planning to see Sweeney Todd, but I have mixed expectations. I don't generally like Tim Burton movies, and they all look alike. I'm going to The Golden Compass, also, but again, with mixed expectations. I enjoyed the books, and who can resist armored polar bears?
For NetFlix or other rental:
Entourage
The Riches
Entourage is great. Highly recommended. The Riches is ok. I have the feeling it would have been great on HBO or Showtime. Dexter is starting to get interesting. If the idea of a likable serial killer appeals to you give it a try.
Let's not forget "300," and the lovely Queen Gorgo as played by Lena Headey....
Messenger: What makes this woman think she can speak among men?
Queen Gorgo: Because only Spartan women give birth to real men.
Then she nods at her husband, the King, and he turns into George Bush and starts killing Persians...
Excellent movie.
No Country is a great movie.
But the apparent narrative isn't the actual narrative, just the texture in which the real story is placed.
Loved it. No cussin' or sex, but it's definitely far from a family movie.
at least 95% of the adult population of the United States have never read the book.
I didn't read the book and I hadn't even seen a preview. Went into the movie not knowing a thing about it until it started and made note it was based on a Cormac McCarthy book. I figured it was going to be a little dark after that.
Spoilers could ruin the whole thing if someone hadn't read the book. I loved having no idea whatsoever where it was going.
A Mighty Heart and Rescue Dawn, Ann. On DVD.
Yes, good calls on Hot Fuzz and Rescue Dawn.
I hope I didn't spoil anything about No Country other than to say "don't go expecting a traditional narrative". I think that's important to know. Same with the French film Caché: Looks like a mystery, feels like a mystery, plays like a mystery but is in fact a parable, and if you go in expecting a mystery, you will be disappointed.
And you're right on, Paddy O. I had actually used the word "meta-narrative" when I first mentioned No Country but I'm not sure that's the right word. Much like you can come out of The Big Lebowski confused because it's not immediately obvious you've just seen a retelling of Murder, My Sweet or O Brother, Where Art Thou? not realizing it's Homer's Odyssey, it feels like there's something else going on.
Keira Knightley.
Just because...
All the entertainment industry seems to do is give each other awards. It's profoundly boring.
Echo. And most of their work is lame. I'm sometimes astonished that with all their training and education, this is the best our "poets" can accomplish.
I only tune in these days to see if any of the self-righteous speak-truth-to-power types will mention Theo Van Gogh.
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