Sunday, February 6
Current Mood:
Lamentful
Current Music: Where Are You Going - Dave Mathews Band
Not really a post. More of my own interesting meme. I plan to watch all of IMDB's top 250 movies. At the moment, I have watched...[counts]...56 movies out of 250. Which isn't bad, but which also means I'm missing out on a hell of a lot. Even if I count out the foreign films, which I won't, *tongue*, there is still a lot I want to see. Suck as the African Queen, Bridge on the River Kwai, Cuckoo's Next, The Untouchables (which was on tonight, I got a preview of Sean Connery being shot to death and my sister laughing...), Cinema Paradiso etc...there are so many that these reviewers keep mentioning and I'm like 'What? What? I know nothing'.
I'm not saying that I want to review like Ebert, eventually I believe reviewing destroys your sense of movie viewing pleasure, but I want to be able to dissect a movie and understand where I stand with it, within my own points and views. I hate to admit it, but reviewing movies, coldly, armchair like, I like to analyse my emotions afterwards. How did I feel after Closer? What did her name change symbolically mean? Which character did I feel the most pain for? Which character did I hate the most? All the while trying to deny my own subjective views on who I love. Did I really think Clive Owen did such a great performance or is that popular Oscar voice speaking through my lips? Hmm...its questionable. Or perhaps, because of that voice, I am straining so hard to see the great performance that I just can't sit back and let it waft over me. Eventually I have to ask, did I believe in the character? Am I able to set aside my differences, whether I love them/hate them/think or begin to think they are actually quite cute (let's not get into that about closer...I'm just going to keep it quiet...gah, how can I think Jude Law is cute at all? It was the glasses. They made him look all intellectual. And while usually, a guy in armour *drools* is hot, this was not to be with Clive Owen in King Arthur, but he just pulls on a pullover, a smile and a few cries and I adore him. This is soo wrong.) and actually believe in them, understand them, feel their pain, their love, their anger? I suppose, if I can feel it, I know its a good performance. Its one of those instinctual things. Then again, can I ever really understand why someone does what they do? Why did Larry act so bastardly? Was it an act of revenge or honesty? A man's fucked, underhanded way of hurting each other.
Then again, these questions, these analysations help me to understand how shallow or narrow my own perceptions are. Am I overshadowed by the miserable marriages and 'diva' typer person of Julia Roberts to believe that her performance on that movie was only sub par compared to everyone else? Perhaps. Then again, while I don't understand a great deal about relationships, I have accepted her and liked her in previous movies, aka. Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride and Erin Brokovich. She is a good actress, a damn good one...but I didn't feel that here (I blame it on Mona Lisa Smile). Nat on the other hand, wow. I think my cutsey little picture of her quirksome self in Garden State has just been shattered compared to her devious, sly, sexually flirtatious/innocent type here. I just can't believe Danny (Jude Law) was so stupid. Could he not see the powerful little woman he had on hand? A woman who could face up to Larry, when he could not. Who had her own underhanded ways of revenge he could have used, if he had trusted, loved, been faithful. Then again, would he have needed them, if he had 'semper fidelis' in the first place. Well by the end, he found out what had happened when the ying to his yang left. I think I love her for that, or perhaps its just my underdog!heronine stereotype coming through. I like Ginny, hate Hermione, I like Nuriko, hate Miaka (okay, okay, Nuriko was a boy, I know), I like Adara, hate Ce'Nedra (or at least she can get annoying). Its the main heroine thing, everyone loves Anna, nobody loves/just uses Alice/Jane. But then in the end, we question whether Alice/Jane was using them...hmm...
Hmm...how did my rant turn into a review of Closer? Bleh. It was a great film. No more need be said. Closer to perfection than I'd expected, pun intended. I've watched it four times in the past two days. Scary or what? Its addictively fascinating from the cussing to the shots. Thank you, Miss Dennett. I adore it. Oh, and who knew English boys, although sooo much older than me, were so hot?
~
Oh, and just before I go and pop into bed, because its three, and I'm fuck tired and my aunty is coming tommorow to take over my room *sigh*, did you know that when the movie 'Dangerous Liasons' came out there was also another movie exactly like it and based on the same book called 'Valmont'? Apparently although Dangerous had the better cast, director and writer, Valmont is praised at the better film. Surprisingly, Valmont cost $35 mil when Dangerous cost only $19, even with its hot cast. Valmont didn't pay off anyway, but Ebert praised it as the better film. However, that is not what is most surprisingy. Playing Valmont was our traditionally lovable 'Colin Firth' (EEK!) in a role I HAVE to see him in. Why? I've seen him as an adorable, English hero (obviously, P&P and Importance of Being Earnest), as a bad/rick dork (Shakespeare in Love) and as a loving father with bad taste in movies and rock and roll (What A Girl Wants) but never, never as an accountable rogue and scoundrel, who ruthlessly seduces women. Now, you may have heard me before, but my list of people to play that role is as follows:
1) John Malkovich
2) John Malkovich...
8) Ryan Philipe
And that's my list. Never in my right mind did I see Colin Firth playing his part. Malkovich has this way about him, cold, calculating, ruthless that is so fascinating, despite his weatheredness, I just can't help feeling drawn to him. He is an amazing actor, who I adore in any film whether it be Con Air, The Killing Fields, Man in The Iron Mask (a personal low) or my favourite, Being John Malkovich (C'mon, he has a film named after him!). Gah. He is sooo good. Ryan Philipe, well...he is early nineties hot and possibly one of my first earliest crushes, I'm not so sure, but anyway, he too has that way about him but never to match Malkovich, which is why Malkovich was perfect to play Ripley in his later years. I love Ripleys Game. Anyway, Philipe is good too (okay, Em, I rememeber the butt) but suffers from a stupid screen play. Or at least the end of it. I hear he's a doting father. How ironic. Anyway, the fact that Colin Firth has played Valmont is absurd. And now I must rent that movie out and see for myself. Apparently, unlike its predescessor, Dangerous which is more cerebral, Valmont is more physical.
One word. Ew.
~ M.M.W ~
PS: The rest of the cast includes, Annette Benning (American Beauty, Being Julia) as the evil Countess (I should remember their names, Mertuil, I think?) and Fairuza Balk in Uma Thurman's role (She was 14 for Christ's sake! Its like Lolita!). That's actually how I found out about it. Fairuza Balk is one of those no-name actress, who I have loved since I was a child. She has been in several of my favourite movies, Almost Famous, The Craft (Gah!) and of course, all time personal favourite, Return to Oz, perhaps the scariest child movie ever. The Wheelers still scare the shit out of me! AHHHHHHHH! Night.
